LPA Finance & Property - what happens next

[ThePerfect1IThinkNot]

Hello all, my 88 year old DM has just signed a letter authorising the solicitors to release the LPA that was put in place five years ago. She has a dementia diagnosis and our lovely dementia support lady recommended I should take over all the financial issues.

My first stop was going to be her bank, what should be next?

Take a copy of the original and keep it somewhere safe. Go to the bank, go through all her accounts, savings and they will arrange all the paperwork so that you can have a cheque book, cheque card and authority to pay her bills, it might be better to set up standing orders for utility bills so if you have them with the direct debit form take them with you. Also contact the pension people, you might find it on gov.uk site and the tax department. You and mum can work out her day to day needs, she will Ned money for shopping, carers, stuff like that and I would keep a simple ledger, you can buy a cash book in wilko.

When you go to bank etc take full id for yourself - usual passport/driving license and utility bill/letter from HMRC. They should take a photocopy of the PoA document, it'll take them about 45 mins to go through everything. Ask them to send all correspondence to you and not your DM.

Thanks for your help

She may be eligible for a rebate on her Council Tax with a dementia diagnosis