EPA Registration - What to do next? Is there a guide?

[CraigC]

Hi All,

Once the EPA is registred we will get some certified copies from the solicitor.

I've read the Public Guardianship Office guidelines on what you can / can't do once an EPA is registered. They give some very general guidance on what authority it gives the attorney.

However, I wondered if anyone has seen any guidance / list of the things that you need to do?

For example, once an EPA is registered, who are you obliged to contact? Banks, Social Services, Local Authorities, Hospitals, Doctors, Electoral Role etc etc.

Anyone seen a definitive guide / list or is that a little optomistic?

thanks
Craig

 

[jenniferpa]

Craig, I don't think you're obliged to contact anyone unless you (ir rather the donor) has some level of financial dealing with them. For example doctors, hospital, electoral role - a) none of those involve money and b) the epa doesn't give you anymore power to deal with them than you had before. If you're self-funded I don't see any reason to tell the LA or social services either. In fact, even if you have financial dealings with them, I don't think you need to always tell them: for example if you're paying nursing home fees from a bank account, the bank would need to be notified, but I can see no reason to formally notify the nursing home. You might want to tell them, of course, but I don't see why they need to have sight of the EPA (nor do I think most of them would know what to do with it).

 

[Tender Face]

Hi Craig ... can't say I saw list - just drew up my own ..... 'Anyone I might ever have to contact in the world in order to deal with mum's affairs on her behalf'......

PGO guidelines state (Part 5.68) : "They (the attorney(s)) should tell everyone who needs to know about the power, such as banks, the Benefits Agency, the Inland Revenue, pension schemes, nursing homes and so on, that it has been registered. These will, in turn, probably need to see a certified or office copy of the registered power, although some may want to see the original."

Don't you just love the 'and so on'??????

Two thoughts: Only the bank asked me for sight of the original registered power ..... I sent most utilities etc an office copy of the unregistered EPA simply informing them the EPA had been registered (and gave them the PGO reference and date of registration), DWP and other 'public bodies' an office copy of the registered power ..... decided unless anyone insisted I was not going to let the original out of my possession and have to keep track of who had it .......

I asked for everyone to confirm the power had been noted on their records for future reference and then chased up those who had not acknowledged within a certain time .... all those acknowledgements are filed and in some cases, I have subsequently had to draw certain companies' attention to the fact that they did acknowledge registration!!!!! ...... I would hate to have found myself needing to 'exercise' the power with certain companies when an issue has arisen without having that 'fall-back' for myself .....

Good luck!!!! It's an onerous task - and feel like it's taken several months before I have 'come out the other side of it' .... hope yours might be a smoother ride!!!!!

Love, Karen, x

 

[CraigC]

It's an onerous task

Just what the doctor ordered
I'm dreading the whole thing to be honest as the whole situation with both mum and dad is a bit dire at the moment. It's hard enough to keep on top of all the health issues.

Thanks for all the advice.

I'm really hoping that I won't need to let go of the original EPA when I get it as it has already gone missing once! I'll get a load of certified copies off the solicitor but had no idea that banks can demand the original. If they do, how do you ensure it does not get lost? You'd think a certified copy (e.g. signed and certified by the solicitor on each page) should really be enough.

When you say an 'office' copy - do you mean a standard photo copy.

thanks
Craig

 

[Tender Face]

If they do, how do you ensure it does not get lost?

I personally presented it and refused to leave the building until I got it back!!!!! (after some arguing with mum's bank it wasn't theirs to keep!!!!! )

Not always practical, I know ..... I'd suggest registered post (or whatever it is called these days) and providing payment (or the stamps and labels and SAE) for recipient to post back the same way least ....

Sorry I used 'office copy' as I was hooked into PGO jargon there for a moment there ..... yup - standard 'photocopy' sufficed for most ....

Love, Karen, x

 

[Margaret W]

Epa

It seems to vary from organisation to organisation. For the bank, they needed to see the original EPA and weren't bothered that it wasn't registered, but I could take it to the local branch rather than the branch at which mum's accounts were held. They copied it and gave it straight back.

Utility companies were happy with a photocopy (but then they were only interested in sending the bill to an address which would ensure they would get paid!).

The DWP didn't want anything to apply for Attendance Allowance and get it paid into my own bank account (?? I didn't want that, I wanted it paid into Mum's to use to pay her bills, but they insisted - which means extra record-keeping).

Hope you succeed! It's all just an extra burden on us worried relatives, but it has to be done.

Love

Margaret