Possible Financial Abuse

[renouncefifty]

Elderly mum has been living with her son and daughter in law for the last 3 months due to her suffering a stroke. She is of sound mind.

I'm her daughter and my husband has been executor to my uncles will (mum is sole beneficiary as no other next of kin) everything has gone ok and he is in a position where he will be able to transfer the money to her as the beneficiary within the next 2 weeks)

HOWEVER
Mum has said to me on the phone that she doesn't know where all her moneys going , her post has been redirected to Brother and sister in laws house and they open her mail. She also says that they have her bank card details.

I'm worried they are ripping her off ( she has bailed them out previously due to money problems)

Mum intends to make some alterations to her own home with the money which is a great idea but I'm so worried that they will pocket this money (around 90k) as they have
Her bank card details and all her post is redirected to their address (I can't even open a new account for her )

I live in the Channel Islands and they are in the north so I can't just pop round as I'm so busy working and can't take leave as it's a particularly busy period.

Part of me wants to keep the money in a separate account until she's back home and her post is hers again.

I don't want to accuse anyone but this is such a worry. Any advice appreciated.

If she is perhaps known to a reablement (or other) team following stroke a Social Worker would be able to initiate Safeguarding investigations and where necessary involve Police.

Contact her local council's adult safeguarding lead. They will look into it.

Can I suggest you don't transfer the money yet(have I got this right...your husband is the executer so will be doing this soon?) Or set up another bank account for her.

Sorry I see you can't open a bank account for her. They should not have her cards. I agree that adult safeguarding is the way to go unless you can confront the people.

I agree with pp regarding the safeguarding team.

Do you know why they are getting her mail? I would check if there isn't a back story first. She may sound of sound mind to you, but that may not be completely a case. Or they are indeed massively overstepping or even abusing her. Safeguarding team will check.
Can she cancel the redirection?

I’d have her cards cancelled for a start!

And get her mail redirected, if she’s going to be with you for any length of time.
Is there an executor’s account? If so I’d leave the money there until it’s possible to open a new or savings account.

An alternative interim measure would be to buy Premium Bonds with it - they can easily be cashed in later.

I’d also tell the brother and SiL that all her mail must be forwarded to her at your house for the moment.