Hi, my mum has recently been diagnosed and declared incapable of making decisions. We're now starting to look into deputyship. I want to be involved as much as I can but live abroad, so being physically present to sign paperwork etc isn't an option for me. Does anyone know if things can be done electronically these days? Or if I'm appointed as co deputy with someone else would that work? Any info or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Deputyship
- Thread starter Andrea123
- Start date
hello @Andrea123
a warm welcome to DTP
a tough time for you and your mum, not easy at all for you being at a distance
I wonder whether some of the info on the main AS site may be useful
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/search?keywords=deputy&Search=
and there's the Gov site too
https://www.gov.uk/become-deputy/apply-deputy
just to ask, are you sure that your mum no longer has capacity at all, a diagnosis doesn't necessarily mean that the person doesn't have capacity enough to make decisions, even if they need help in implementing them ... if there's any chznce to put in place LPAs that will be more straight forward for all concerned
https://www.gov.uk/power-of-attorney
a warm welcome to DTP
a tough time for you and your mum, not easy at all for you being at a distance
I wonder whether some of the info on the main AS site may be useful
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/search?keywords=deputy&Search=
and there's the Gov site too
https://www.gov.uk/become-deputy/apply-deputy
just to ask, are you sure that your mum no longer has capacity at all, a diagnosis doesn't necessarily mean that the person doesn't have capacity enough to make decisions, even if they need help in implementing them ... if there's any chznce to put in place LPAs that will be more straight forward for all concerned
https://www.gov.uk/power-of-attorney
Welcome to Dementia Talking Point Andrea123. I'm not up to speed on the ins and outs of deputy ship, but the National Dementia Helpline is a good source of help if nobody else can advice. https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/national-dementia-helpline. I hope that or the links Shedrech posted will help.
Most things can be done electronically, as far as I know there can be more than one Deputy, and one OPG visitor I chatted to at some length a few years ago told me of a Deputy who does the 'job' from Australia and others who live abroad so the system certainly accommodates such circumstances.
A new-ish thing that now appears on the online annual reports us Deputies submit is a question around safeguarding - how often do you see the person, what arrangements are there to make sure they're well looked after etc., so even if you can't visit often you're expected to keep an eye from afar, which is just as it should be.
So it's definitely possible to do things remotely. To be honest, I can't imagine that many panel Deputies (people the Court of Protection appoints if there's no family or friends to step into the role) do much in person. They tend to be professional people, like solicitors, and have a 'day job'.
A new-ish thing that now appears on the online annual reports us Deputies submit is a question around safeguarding - how often do you see the person, what arrangements are there to make sure they're well looked after etc., so even if you can't visit often you're expected to keep an eye from afar, which is just as it should be.
So it's definitely possible to do things remotely. To be honest, I can't imagine that many panel Deputies (people the Court of Protection appoints if there's no family or friends to step into the role) do much in person. They tend to be professional people, like solicitors, and have a 'day job'.
Hi - I have just joined this forum and I believe that I am able to help you. Firstly I am assuming your mum has been assessed and been formally told that she lacks mental capacity "MCA". For me on behalf of my former sister in law no will could be found and therefore because of her dementia we had to go through the Court of Protection "COP" to do this - there is no other way. If there was a will and someone was nominated in that will as Power of Attorney "POA" or Lasting Power of Attorney "LPOA" they would still have to apply through the "COP" or register their name to look after your mum's finances an property assets. Always request for the two issues, property and finance and of course if she is in a care home this needs to be included (best use a solicitor) you can do it yourself but I would not. If you use a solicitor they use a system called DX and this is electronically done to the courts but "a" signature will be required and it would have to be the hard copy sent to the "COP". You can have several deputies but all have to be registered I believe that "either or " deputy can sign if in one is England. I will tell you that for me its been an absolute nightmare I have been so stressed and sick of all the "hoops" you have to jump through it took 1 years and 10 months to finalise. I don't want to put you off because you have no other choice except to use this "legal process". The "COP" was formed in 2007 and bought about and alongside to assist and protect those who lacked mental capacity. regards
