How do you go about appointing a Deputy?

[InQuiresandplaceswheretheysing]

I think that’s the term. I’ve been supporting an old friend in a nursing home for the last 6 years and I’ve had enough of doing his life admin. The council have been in touch asking me to do his financial assessment again and I told them that I don’t have acres to his pension forecasts etc and I don’t want to do it any longer. He’s done absolutely nothing to help himself for years. And his son Isn’t interested. (Fair enough) The home said we need to appoint a deputy. Is this something I can get them to do. I really just want to step away from the admin.

As a friend it's not your responsibility. Does he have capacity? If so, he can make an LPA naming anyone suitable and willing. If not, then an application would need to be made to the Court of Protection for a Deputyship Order, but you don't have to be involved.

He does have capacity, yes. His son wanted me to be his LPA but I’m not doing that. As you say, he’s not my responsibility. I have my own parents who are getting older, and they will be. (Hopefully they are more sensible!)

If he has capacity, LPA costs £92. He just needs to choose someone who is willing.

There isn’t anyone. His son won’t, I don’t wasn’t to and there is no one else. He pushed all his friends away.

He can appoint a solicitor. Obviously they will charge.

If he has capacity, then I assume the pressing issue for now is finding someone to do the work behind organising his finances, not making decisions. If that's the case he can either appoint a willing LPA (who could then officially act on his behalf), or pay someone as an assistant to help in the same way that I assume you are doing free of charge at the moment (or find another volunteer but it sounds like there isn't anyone willing). If he chooses to pay an assistant obviously there would be some things they can't do for him (signing forms, accessing his bank etc) but they could help with paperwork, form filling, phone calls etc with his permission. Assuming you're in the UK a deputy is a court appointed person (usually a friend or relative) who looks after someone's affairs when they don't have capacity to do it themselves or appoint anyone else.

It sounds like the issue here is that the friend needs help with his admin but family are not willing to do it, so I'd say the obvious answer if he has funds is to pay someone to assist him. Ideally he'd want an LPA too, so that someone can act on his behalf (rather than just assist) in case he loses capacity or becomes to ill to sign/access funds etc. But that is quite an undertaking and it sounds like there's not anyone willing to take it on. I'd be very wary of the family try to 'encourage' you to become LPA- there are a lot of legal obligations (quite rightly).

The council and the home are trying to make this your problem because it's easier for them, but you can just step away. Tell them not to contact you again and repeat it if necessary, until they stop. If your friend has capacity then presumably he could be doing his own admin. What would happen if you emigrated, for example? Whatever arrangements he would put in place in that situation are arrangements he can put in place now.

@Suzyloothey are making it my problem band it isn’t. He dies have capacity but has no longer got the capability to do things. (Again he is partly to blame for not making any effort whatsoever to help himself)

If he has capacity he can appoint a solicitor to act as his financial LPA. That would be by far the easiest route.

If he does not have capacity then the council can apply to the court of protection to appoint a deputy.

Neither of these things has anything to do with you, you do not need to do anything, just step away.