Change of address for care home resident

[Cheadle]

Hello, my aunt moved into a care home approx. 4 weeks ago. Her own house is in the process of being sold. She has now asked me to inform everyone of her change of address.

Straightforward enough, but for DWP (pension and attendance allowance) and banks, in particular, she does not wish to receive any mail at the care home and wants to use my address as a correspondence address on a permanent basis.

She is a very private lady in her late 80s and worries that the care home will open her post and read her letters and know all her business. Personally, I don't know whether they would do that but I'm happy to go along with her wishes.

I have written out some letters to this effect to send to the banks which I will send once my aunt has signed them. But does anyone know how I can inform the DWP? Can I just ring them or will I have to write to them as well? Will they think it is odd that aunt has a correspondence address which is different to her residential address at the care home?

Just wondering if anyone has any experience of this. Thanks.

[hatgirl]

This is very common and not at all odd. Your aunt may benefit from making you her DWP appointee if she hasn't done already. Just makes things slightly easier if you need to speak to benefits agencies on her behalf.

[heavenlypink]

Re DWP she was to nominate you as her 'appointee' then it wouldn't be a problem not sure if the same works for the bank - I think my mum did something similar regarding her mum

[harderandharder2breathe]

I work for a financial company and we would ask for the residential address but would be happy to use a correspondence address. We wouldn't speak to you about her account without written authority though.

[harderandharder2breathe]

As in we are required by HMRC to hold residential address but we can also have a correspondence address and never send anything to the residential address

[Cheadle]

Thanks for all your replies.

I think I will mention to her about making me her DWP appointee.

Aunt was in hospital for some weeks prior to entering the care home and signed a letter addressed to her bank asking that I take care of anything financial for her. When I took the letter to her local bank they said 'no, perhaps she should appoint you as power of attorney'. I suggested this to aunt at least one year ago and she would not hear of it, still feels the same way today!

It really isn't helpful that my aunt has been very careless with her bank accounts and never followed up on the fact that the bank had failed to send her any statements for her current account. (She had the current account for about 35-40 years)! I have also mentioned this in the change of address letter and will see if statements will now be forthcoming.

[HelenaGWells]

I think you can register your address as a care of address so things would come to Cheadles Aunt C/C Cheadle, cheadles house etc.

[Almostfifty]

Could you explain to her that the Power of Attorney is only used if she becomes unable to? We've also explained to our parents that it will help if they ever become totally incapacitated, (in case of a major stroke or something similar) so that social services don't have the right to take over.

[Cheadle]

As it stands at the moment she is more or less immobile, struggles to walk very far at all without a zimmer frame and even when she does walk her legs give way sometimes and she falls. Mentally, she's 100%.

I've explained so many times over the last year, until I'm blue in the face, the advantages of me having Power of Attorney but aunt refuses to entertain the idea. Don't ask me why!

[Happyandhungry]

For banking you need POA. It doesnt mean she can't also act on her own behalf as she can be classed as "mentally capable" she only loses the right to also act on her on behalf if you successfully register it with the court or protection later on if required. Worth doing makes life easier but she may not know she can have it and still act on her own behalf which is why she has previously said no.

[Happyandhungry]

Sorry court OF protection

[AgnesNitt1976]

The care home has no rights to open her mail and if this were to happen then they would be committing an offense.