Hello,
just wondered if anyone could shed any light on my predicament.
I am my mother's carer, we don't have POA as she doesn't need it - she is more than capable of managing her affairs - but, after my father died, she realised that she needed to protect me. He wouldn't do the POA but she had always handled the money and everything was in joint names so she could still manage perfectly. She realised that if anything should happen to her and she was unable to pay bills, or ... then I would have no money to pay for anything, and probate takes around six months during which time I would be homeless for non-payment of the mortgage and utilities and then in prison for non-payment of council tax - try asking any of them to wait six months to be paid - and I have no relatives to get a loan from, so she added me to her accounts.
I don't know how much money is there, don't have access to the funds - I have cash cards but don't know what the PIN numbers are as I've never opened them - don't see statements, don't go with her when she does her banking - this money is nothing to do with me at all, just that I have been added to her accounts to ensure that, as her carer, I can pay whatever bills need to be paid if she can't. She is also the second person on my account for the same reason, she has a card but never sees the statements, doesn't know how much money is there etc.
I have now had a letter from the Fraud and Error Department and have an interview on Friday. They have not said what it is about but, as I don't do anything wrong, I am not that person, this joint account thing is the only thing I can think of that it could be.
Like I said, we haven't done POA because it's not necessary and if we had, and it was in force, Mummy couldn't do what she wants with her money so joint accounts is the only way we know of to make sure I can take care of things when she can't - she's 82.
I'm guessing they are now looking at the money in the joint accounts and thinking if that half is mine, then I can't claim the Income Support top-up I get on top of the Carer's Allowance. I have £90 in my current account, £300 in savings and a £2000.00 credit card bill, so it's hardly as if I am benefitting in any way from this money! It's my mother's money and that is that.
I just wondered if anyone else had fallen foul of the same sort of thing?
I cannot believe I face prosecution because my mother had the foresight to protect in the only way that we know can be done, and to allow me to pay household bills for her.
Any help/advice would be very welcome, and thank you in advance.
just wondered if anyone could shed any light on my predicament.
I am my mother's carer, we don't have POA as she doesn't need it - she is more than capable of managing her affairs - but, after my father died, she realised that she needed to protect me. He wouldn't do the POA but she had always handled the money and everything was in joint names so she could still manage perfectly. She realised that if anything should happen to her and she was unable to pay bills, or ... then I would have no money to pay for anything, and probate takes around six months during which time I would be homeless for non-payment of the mortgage and utilities and then in prison for non-payment of council tax - try asking any of them to wait six months to be paid - and I have no relatives to get a loan from, so she added me to her accounts.
I don't know how much money is there, don't have access to the funds - I have cash cards but don't know what the PIN numbers are as I've never opened them - don't see statements, don't go with her when she does her banking - this money is nothing to do with me at all, just that I have been added to her accounts to ensure that, as her carer, I can pay whatever bills need to be paid if she can't. She is also the second person on my account for the same reason, she has a card but never sees the statements, doesn't know how much money is there etc.
I have now had a letter from the Fraud and Error Department and have an interview on Friday. They have not said what it is about but, as I don't do anything wrong, I am not that person, this joint account thing is the only thing I can think of that it could be.
Like I said, we haven't done POA because it's not necessary and if we had, and it was in force, Mummy couldn't do what she wants with her money so joint accounts is the only way we know of to make sure I can take care of things when she can't - she's 82.
I'm guessing they are now looking at the money in the joint accounts and thinking if that half is mine, then I can't claim the Income Support top-up I get on top of the Carer's Allowance. I have £90 in my current account, £300 in savings and a £2000.00 credit card bill, so it's hardly as if I am benefitting in any way from this money! It's my mother's money and that is that.
I just wondered if anyone else had fallen foul of the same sort of thing?
I cannot believe I face prosecution because my mother had the foresight to protect in the only way that we know can be done, and to allow me to pay household bills for her.
Any help/advice would be very welcome, and thank you in advance.