To not want carers to have my Mum's bank card?

[TheTwinklyLemur]

My Mum has recently had to get carers due to her declining health, both physically and mentally. One of the things they do is to go shopping for her, or which they have asked for her bank card and PIN number. I really don't feel comfortable with this. Can't I just give them cash from her account, which I have access to?

Yes, leave cash and ask for receipts

Absolutely not. I would not feel comfortable having these "carers" around your mum, I'm sorry.

I can't imagine any reputable care company would ask for this
?

100% cash and receipts. Most carers are good people but it just lets them know there is someone keeping an eye on things.

this is against all safeguarding training I’ve ever had.

Yep cash and receipts. One hundred percent.

I would certainly not be handing over the card. Either give them cash and expect to see receipts and check the change or they pay on their own card or with cash and you transfer the money to their bank account.

If this is a requirement it will be in her care plan. There are many respectable reliable carers who shop for their clients because they are professional trustworthy people. Receipts provided etc. but as I say, the methodology should have been agreed with the Care Manager and your Mum/ POA if she doesn't have capacity.

Get a card that you pre-load like Revolut. The carers have access to money but you can control how much and have the security of a card over cash

You're not supposed to reveal your PIN to anyone. Not a chance this is standard practice.

I don’t think the bank would be happy with that.

My Mum has carers - they always take cash and provide receipts. Absolutely do not hand over bank card and PIN.

You can set up a Go Henry card for the carers to use and you can monitor what money is beings spent and where. Solicitors who hold deputyship for people use these due to being able to monitor it. They arrange a certain amount to be loaded on each week according to need so only a small amount is available.

Most care agencies I worked with in social care refused to take cards and pin numbers

My friend's son's carer cleared his bank account and as several carers had his PIN the police can't do anything. Never ever give anyone else the card and PIN!

Even people in supported living where the care company has financial guardianship don't give the carers the bank card and PIN, they are given cash and provide receipts.

Provide cash and make sure receipts are kept for everything.

My parents' bank (Santander) have an option for a carer's card on their current account - it's a separate card, and you can control how much is on it to spend. Might be worth asking your mum's bank if they do something similar.

Of course that's not OK, you never give someone else your PIN.

DGM had a carer who shopped for her, DGM gave her cash and got receipts. She thought the price of shopping was going up and looked more carefully - the carer was buying multiple things DGM had asked for (milk, bread, etc) and keeping the duplicates.

So depending on DMs cognitive ability and how comfortable she would be challenging someone, I'd be more inclined to do an online shop for her timed to come when the carer is there. Could that work?

Depending on the supermarket you can also get gift cards to use for groceries and they can use these and you can top up the card in some cases. Tesco definitely do as I did this for my Aunt when the carer was going to be buying her shopping.

With my son I got a separate Monzo card and transfer money into that for the support workers to use. Or a prepaid card is an option.

Can you not ask your DM to let you pay the carers for shopping? (they give you receipts). You can then be refunded by her direct. Or if she needs more support you could get financial Power of Attorney. Do that before its really needed then you can step up as required.

Go Henry is for kids up to 18.

Cash or get a pre-pay card and itemised receipts. It might be some naivety on the part of the carers but they should not place themselves in that position. Worse case scenario, they don't have good motives for wanting this access.

If i was a carer i would not be using my own money and then having to wait for Op to refund me.