Appointeeship FAQs

An appointee is either a person or an organisation that is appointed to manage someone’s finances when they are unable to do so themselves due to illness or disability, and could be at risk of financial abuse. As your appointee, we would handle all your financial dealings including receipt of benefits.

 

An appointee is an individual, usually a family member or friend, who takes responsibility for somebody’s finances. A corporate appointee is an accredited organisation who is designated by the Department of Work and Pensions to take accountability for someone’s finances. Sova Healthcare is a corporate appointee. We are proud to be able to offer corporate appointeeship on top of a large number of other home care services. This makes it a convenient way for you to receive care from just the one care provider, rather than having to deal with several different organisations.

 

If a person who is incapable of managing their own finances does not have a suitable family member or close friend to become their appointee, an organisation such as Sova Healthcare can be their corporate appointee.

 

No, only one appointee can be allocated to any one individual. An appointee, however, can work for more than one client.

 

As your appointee we will be responsible of ensuring you receive in full all the benefits you are entitled to and that all your bills are paid. We would also be accountable for liaising with the Department of Work and Pensions on your behalf and keeping them up-to-date on your situation, reporting any changes of circumstance. Changes in circumstance could include a change of address or bank account, updates on a medical condition, or the amount of savings you have (as this affects benefits).

We can also help you with other money matters such as agreeing on a budget with you to help you pay for living expenses, helping you save money, and assist you in dealing with debt.

The Department for Work and Pensions The Department for Work and Pensions is the UK’s largest public service department, managing welfare, pensions and child maintenance. It administers all age, health and disability related benefits. As your appointee, we would be responsible for reporting monthly updates directly to the Department for Works and Pensions on your behalf.

Yes, an appointee must be over the age of 18 years old.

 

An appointeeship ends when the appointee no longer wishes to act as an appointee, if they are not acting responsibly and in the best interest of their client, or if the client passes away.

Your carer can use an Expense Card to make purchases for you such as your food shopping and other necessities. The cards can also allow you to pay for things online and to withdraw cash from any ATM points in the same way that a debit or credit card can. It operates in a similar way to a debit card, in that you can only spend as much as the funds transferred onto it allow you to. Together with your carer you will discuss and come up with a budget and decide on the amount that will be transferred onto your card every month. Extra money or a change in amount can also be dealt with easily and efficiently. The Sova Healthcare Expense Card is a convenient and safe method for your carer to use your money to buy you what you need. For any other information about he Expense Card, please contact us and we will be happy to help.

 

To discover what you might be entitled to, you can contact your local authority. Alternatively, you can contact us and we can find out for you on your behalf.

 

If their client dies, the appointee must inform the Department of Work and Pensions as soon as possible, who will then deal with the closure of the appointeeship and transfer the person’s account over to the next of kin.