Need some general information re LPA

[JJ28]

Hi

We are some way through the diagnosis of dementia for my elderly mother, going for a ct next week.

It all started when she rang me crying that she had no money, sure enough she had fallen foul of the telephone swindlers who got her debit card information, when she showed me her bank statements this had been going on for a couple of years for extended warranties etc. to a total of almost £4k. Fortunately her savings are intact and I managed to recoup £1k. However, this resulted in having to close her current account and I set up a new bank account online for her.

She has trouble remembering her pin number which has resulted in me doing her banking, so I felt we must go down the LPA route.

Could anyone let me know what will happen at the bank when we go in with the LPA as I am worried that she will forget her pin again as she may be asked for this due to the fact that she (nor I for that matter) have any photo id .

Thanks

 

[Louise7]

Welcome to the forum .

The process seems to vary from bank to bank so best to contact them to find out exactly what they need you to bring with you. When I took Mum's LPA into her bank (Barclays) I booked an appointment over the phone, which lasted about an hour. They asked me to bring in some ID for myself but I don't recall that they asked for Mum's ID, and she didn't have to come to the bank with me, nor did I have to use her bank card/PIN for anything during the meeting. They copied the LPA and then set up Mum's account with me as attorney. It meant that they had to cancel her bank card but within a few days they had sent a new one to me, with new PIN, and I also have access to the account online via internet banking. It was all quite straight forward.

 

[jugglingmum]

My mum had multiple bank accounts and I had to book an appointment with them, think I booked most appointments when I was passing, and a couple had the right person free and could do it there and then.

I didn't take mum with me, but confirmed she still had capacity and she retained a bank card and cheque book, as she was still capable of day to day shopping etc at the time. She shortly after forgot her PIN and 4 years later can no longer write cheques (she was paying her monthly lunch bill by cheque).

You will need some ID for yourself, which if you have no photo ID might cause them to be awkward. You need one form of ID to identify you and one to confirm your address.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/proof-of-identity-checklist/proof-of-identity-checklist

Scroll down the link to find proof of identity for individuals - and make sure you take one from each list. This is the official legal requirement - if banks are asking for more that is their internal rules and I'd try pushing them back to this list - you could print it out and take it with you if needed.

I've used a letter advising mum of her pension for her ID (benefits agency letter in list)

 

[JJ28]

Hi

Thank you both for your advice. It is a relief that I might not have to take her with me - one worry out of the way.

All this is recent for me and I sometimes find it overwhelming especially since my brother rarely responds to my contacting him - he is over using the excuse that he is busy and in India working.

 

[DesperateofDevon]

Hi

Thank you both for your advice. It is a relief that I might not have to take her with me - one worry out of the way.

All this is recent for me and I sometimes find it overwhelming especially since my brother rarely responds to my contacting him - he is over using the excuse that he is busy and in India working.

so took Mum along as she requested - as per usual she promptly got confused & fell asleep!
The bank manager was compassionate & used to dealing with these situations.
We did have to make appointments as it’s an hour long process, but it was all done there & then.
We had to make a separate appointment for Dads & he wasn’t present but it was the same process.
Passports,LPA, other forms of identification ie photo driving licences etc.

It was an easier process than expected.

 

[Sirena]

I didn't take my mother with me when I registered the LPA with the bank - she lived a long distance away so it would have been tricky. I rang to make an appointment, at which point they told me what I needed to take - I think it was a certified copy of the LPA and two forms of ID - ID for me, they did not request ID for my mother which was just as well as I didn't have any. They would never ask your mother for her PIN, that is private information which she is not supposed to disclose to anyone, even a bank official.

At the meeting the representative could not have been more helpful, she was lovely. It took about 40 minutes as she was very thorough and even helped me set up online banking. I was asked if I wanted her to have continued access to the account - I said yes as she wasn't doing anything 'concerning', but if money had started to go missing I would have rescinded her access.