Carers, shopping and pre paid cards advice

[JanBlues2026]

Hello, we have changed provider for elderly PILs shopping needs, they previously had unofficial helpers who were paid to do the shopping and they used PIL’s debit card. We were uncomfortable with this for obvious reasons and it is now going to be handled by the carers.

We are currently having to leave cash for them but this is very inconvenient so I’m wondering that there must be some pre pay card type system for this issue. We will be discussing with the carer team but I just wanted to have a clue about it before the conversation. Can anyone advise on this please?

I use an Asda shopping card. The carer has the card and I top it up as necessary.

I arranged shopping delivery rather than have others access any funds. It was much easier as I was in control of it all.

Sainsbury's do an online ecard (or you can print it out).

But having an online supermarket shop delivered will be vastly cheaper. You can set up an account in their name, with their card, and either do the shop yourself or help them to learn. Tesco and Sainsbury's delivery drivers will even help put the stuff away for disabled/elderly. You might need to request that in advance.

Would suggest you use the supermarkets online shopping service rather than use carers. The carers that my relative had only stopped by for 15 minutes each visit if that do it was also outside their remit.

We would love to use the delivery service but unfortunately when we were using that before it was going really wrong. FIL is very hostile and aggressive and won’t allow anyone in the house, we really need it to be the carer team who are trained to deal with him, we were having situations where the shopping was being left outside in the sun, being turned away. The carers can also keep track of what is being eaten etc. It’s all very complicated but to be honest the shopping is the least of the issues! 😩

Santander have a Carers Card account. You have to have a main bank account with them and this is a subsidiary account that you pre load with funds.

Alternatively, I would consider something like a Monzo card which you add funds to as required.

I used to arrange shopping deliveries (Ocado). But I booked it for a time when the carer was there. My mother could not have coped with it alone and may not have even let them in.

I also left cash for smaller shops, as my mother liked to go to the shops with the carer for a look around.

Anyway, good luck OP and I hope you find a system that works for you. I know what you mean when you say the shopping is the least of your worries! The worries did recede when my mother moved to a care home.

Any pre-paid debit card would work. Most have an app that you can use to track spending. You load money via online bank transfer or you can set to auto top-up from a designated account.

Starling has a connected card I used for DF’s carers.

I had the app, got pinged with every purchase. £200 max on it which I could top up easily through app when needed. I think they could upload receipt photos like with Monzo business, but they insisted on handing all the paper receipts to me at the end of the month.

It worked almost everywhere except betting shops, IIRC.

https://www.starlingbank.com/features/connected-shopping-card/

Prep paid debit cards are common enough now, here's a good run down of the options:

www.moneysavingexpert.com/credit-cards/prepaid-cards/

We use a Post Office currency card for DF (you can just use sterling) which seems ok

Our DD used to use a pre paid Sainsbury’s card when at uni. Meant we could check the balance and keep it topped up for her on line.

Thanks everyone, I am glad to see it is usual to use the pre paid cards or debit cards for this situation, i thought it a bit strange the carers were asking for cash so we will go back to them and insist on setting up a card.

The voluntary service (does shopping for elderly/ vulnerable people) in our area only works with cash. We used them initially for DH's grandma before her needs became too much and she needed proper carers and then eventually a home. They would take a shopping list, do the shopping and put away and then have cup of tea/ coffee and chat but not do any personal care. Their argument was that there were so many different people coming and doing shopping that keeping track of cards was hard.

Most care services round us however prefer pre-paid or carers cards. DH and BIL who have financial POA just went into her bank (NatWest) and asked about it and they set one up for her.