Sibstar: the first ever debit card and app for families in the UK living with dementia

[HarrietD]

Sibstar is the first ever debit card and app for families in the UK living with dementia. Founder Jayne says: “Both my parents are living with dementia. It was through caring for them and Mum’s struggle with managing her everyday money that led to the idea for Sibstar. We tried everything to help retain Mum’s financial independence, but nothing worked.”

Sibstar is an innovative way for vulnerable adults who are at risk of financial exclusion to access and manage their everyday money while knowing their money is safe. The person living with dementia has the Sibstar debit card, and their supporter has the app. Within this app you can manage how and where that money is used.

For example:

• Set monthly, daily spend limits
• ATM withdrawal limit or switch on/off ATM, online and phone transactions
• Real-time notifications allow supporters to keep looking after their loved ones without being overly interfering.

Importantly, all this functionality can be changed instantly and remotely, meaning Sibstar constantly adapts to meet the changing needs of our customers. A Sibstar account can be set up by downloading the app from the Apple store, or Google Play.

 

[try again]

Looks very promising. Be interesting to get some feedback

 

[Mandz]

Interested to know if anyone on here or a relative has one of these and it's working well for them?
Was looking to get it but unfortunately it's no good for my relative because you have to use the PIN every so often or when transactions get to a certain limit. My relative with Alzheimers forgets things like a PIN so it's no use to them. They may have updated it since I enquired.

 

[AndiP]

Got

 

[AndiP]

Got all the way through the application. Then saw it costs £60 to subscribe to.
Thiink ill get chase card or compare debit and put limit on it.
Get 1% , back on its use or 3.4% , on balance. Sibstar looked so ready-made too.
Cheers

 

[Sibstar Team]

Got all the way through the application. Then saw it costs £60 to subscribe to.
Thiink ill get chase card or compare debit and put limit on it.
Get 1% , back on its use or 3.4% , on balance. Sibstar looked so ready-made too.
Cheers

Hi AndiP

I hope you're well!

Thanks for your comment. We charge a one off £4.99 activation fee and a monthly fee of £4.99.
These fees go towards running Sibstar and developing our app so it always meets the needs of people living with dementia.

Sibstar is a profit with purpose business. Which means we are committed to donating a proportion of our profits back into causes we believe in. We're starting with the Alzheimer’s Society who will receive 7.5% of our net profit.

Best wishes
Jasmin @ Sibstar

 

[AndiP]

Thanks for the kind reply and update Jasmin

 

[Josie_]

Do you need this if you already have a power of attorney?

 

[Sibstar Team]

Do you need this if you already have a power of attorney?

Hi Josie

I hope you're well and had a lovely weekend!

We designed Sibstar to help families living with dementia to safely manage their day to day money.
Giving everyone peace of mind as they enjoy their everyday activities.

We have 3 options to choose from in the app when signing up.

Option 1: Supporting a person living with dementia
Option 2: Supporting a person living with dementia who has a Lasting Power of Attorney for Property and Finance
Option 3: A person living with dementia

So if you have an LPA in place, you would sign up with option 2, giving you full control of the account and card, as well as how the funds can be spent.

Best wishes
Jasmin @ Sibstar

 

[pagan56]

Hi all, this is my first response as I joined today.
This sounds like a wonderful scheme, not suitable in our circumstances though. My mother moved into a dementia care home 3 weeks ago and I am at my wits end to know how to proceed. I have neither LPA or Deputyship as my mother declined LPA while she apparently had the capacity to do so. I have been warned by her solicitor that it is very difficult. time consuming and expensive to apply for deputyship. He politely declined to accept the role himself.
I have tried to contact her bank but they will not speak to me, she has outstanding bills and even just trying to redirect her mail is difficult as she sometimes declines to sign anything.
We live about 3 hours drive away (on a good day) so can't visit often. These are just a couple of the issues , there are more that potentially require Safe guarding.
I previously worked for many years with elderly and dementia patients in a hospital setting, however , nothing prepares one for experiencing this as a close relative with little help from anyone.
Any suggestions, past experiences would be so helpful. Thank you.

 

[canary]

Hello @pagan56

It sounds like your mum has lost capacity to appoint POA which means that your only option now is deputyship. Without deputyship no-one will be able to sort out her finances for her and the bank will (rightly) not speak to anyone.

I had the same problem with mum. She too wouldnt appoint POA and when she moved into a care home I had to apply for deputyship. Yes it it is quite expensive (I did it myself, so cheaper than using a solicitor) and there is a fair bit of paper shuffling, but I found it doable and the money came out of mums savings, not mine. Dont let the solicitors comments influence you unduly

If you feel you really cannot do it, that is OK, but someone has to have deputyship and if you dont do it (for whatever reason) then Social Services will apply. Do be warned, though, that if the deputyship goes down this route, then you will have no control over, or say in what happens to her savings, property or possessions

 

[Sibstar Team]

Hi all, this is my first response as I joined today.
This sounds like a wonderful scheme, not suitable in our circumstances though. My mother moved into a dementia care home 3 weeks ago and I am at my wits end to know how to proceed. I have neither LPA or Deputyship as my mother declined LPA while she apparently had the capacity to do so. I have been warned by her solicitor that it is very difficult. time consuming and expensive to apply for deputyship. He politely declined to accept the role himself.
I have tried to contact her bank but they will not speak to me, she has outstanding bills and even just trying to redirect her mail is difficult as she sometimes declines to sign anything.
We live about 3 hours drive away (on a good day) so can't visit often. These are just a couple of the issues , there are more that potentially require Safe guarding.
I previously worked for many years with elderly and dementia patients in a hospital setting, however , nothing prepares one for experiencing this as a close relative with little help from anyone.
Any suggestions, past experiences would be so helpful. Thank you.

Hi!

Is your mother still able to go out and use a debit card? We have customers at the moment in care homes who have benefited from using us!

We have an option in our app for you to apply as a supporter and get a card and account for your mother without needing an LPA or Deputyship, and you would be able to control the limits and how she can use the card.

If you have any questions, feel free to call us on 01962 676 080

Jasmin @ Sibstar

 

[nitram]

Is your mother still able to go out and use a debit card?

The real question is 'Has your mother capacity to open an account?".

 

[Sibstar Team]

The real question is 'Has your mother capacity to open an account?".

Hi there!

Thanks for your comment

With the option I was referring to, opening an account without an LPA, the supporter would be able to do everything on their own device with the app downloaded and manage the whole application process.

I hope this helps!

Jasmin @ Sibstar

 

[nitram]

With the option I was referring to, opening an account without an LPA, the supporter would be able to do everything on their own device with the app downloaded and manage the whole application process

If on PWD's name all done illegally without any power, if in supporter's name extremely bad practice.

 

[Sibstar Team]

If on PWD's name all done illegally without any power, if in supporter's name extremely bad practice.

Hi

Our app and debit card can be applied for by PWD who are still able to apply and manage their finances, and would like a supporter to also have the app on their phone as a 'safety net' on their spending, the supporter would also be able to have the app on their device.

We have a separate offering for PWD who have an LPA in place, whereby the formal Supporter is the only person with the app, however the PWD can have the debit card to enable them to 'spend more safely' than a regular bank card.

Jasmin @ Sibstar

 

[nitram]

The real question is 'Has your mother capacity to open an account?".

With the option I was referring to, opening an account without an LPA

This reply dodges the question of mother's capacity.

 

[pagan56]

Thank you for the info. We live between 3-4 hours drive away from Mum which can make organising anything with her quite difficult, as her capacity and mood fluctuate not just daily but hourly sometimes. Mum would be able to open an account as long as we were with her as she no longer goes out alone. She doesn't use her card, check book or online banking as the care home doesn't allow residents to keep them on site. I currently have her debit card and check book.
I have no control over her finances or any knowledge of her online banking details , but potentially someone else does. There were some questionable financial issues when she lived alone, but nothing proven.
The problem is that we need access now to pay for the outstanding utility bills, and many direct debits etc. to be cancelled.
Is the only legal or moral way to become a deputy?

 

[nitram]

her capacity and mood fluctuate not just daily but hourly sometimes.

The problem is that we need access now to pay for the outstanding utility bills, and many direct debits etc. to be cancelled.
Is the only legal or moral way to become a deputy?

Unfortunately, yes.
The LA may provide a loan after application for deputy.
Include access to her account(s) as an interim application with the deputy application.

I have no control over her finances or any knowledge of her online banking details , but potentially someone else does. There were some questionable financial issues when she lived alone, but nothing proven.

If this is continuing it's difficult to stop without the bank blocking the account.

 

[AmeliaM77]

This sounds really interesting. I'm really struggling with getting my sister to allow my mum choice, control and dignity with managing her finances. I'm also super aware that she's doing her best and is worried about my mum being taken advantage of but essentially my mum can't pay for anything over £150. Does this account allow caps on spending to be relaxed for a day e.g. if my mum wanted to pay for dental treatment or buy a new sofa?