Paying for your support at home

Client Financial Services

Client Financial Services are available to safeguard the monies and property of those service users who are unable to manage their own financial affairs by providing the following services

• Receiverships for those service users who have a mental disability and over £5,000 in savings/capital
• Appointeeships for those service users who have a mental disability and less than £5,000 in savings/capital
• Power of Attorney for those service users who do not have a mental disability but are vulnerable
• Trusteeships for the investment of moneys belonging to children in care
• Arrangement of funerals
• Care and protection of property and belongings, including kennelling services, in respect of service users who have been admitted to hospital or residential care.

Receivership

If a person becomes incapable of managing their own financial affairs through a mental infirmity it may be necessary for an application to be made to The Court of Protection for a Receiver to be appointed. Any application must be supported by medical evidence (formCP3) together with evidence of the patients family and property which must include detailed information relating to all income and capital assets. The Court will also require a brief history of the patient which should include their present circumstances and an idea of what their future situation might be.

The Receiver can be a relative, a friend or an official of the Local Authority (in Manchester this is a delegated function of the Assistant Director of Finance and administered within the Client Financial Services Unit (CFS). If an application is successful the Court will issue a First General Order which is documentary evidence of the Receivers authority to carry out duties to exercise the powers granted by the Court. The Receivership Order will come to an end if:

1. the Court is satisfied that the patient has recovered and is now able to manage their financial affairs;
2. the Receiver wishes to retire or for some other reason it becomes necessary to appoint a new Receiver; or
3. the patient dies.

For further details please contact Paul Mosey on 0161-234-3828 or e-mail clientfinancialservices@manchester.gov.uk

Appointeeship

If it has been identified that a service user has a mental incapacity and cannot or can no longer adequately collect their benefits, pensions and/or allowances and they have otherwise limited resources, then it is a delegated function of the Head of CFS to act as appointee.

Appointeeship will be applied for and an Appointeeship account will be opened at the Co-operative Bank on precisely the same basis as a receivership account and with the same benefit to the service user. The DWP benefits and pensions will be credited to the account. For further details contact Client Financial Services on 0161-234-3870 or e-mail clientfinancialservices@manchester.gov.uk

Trusteeship

In the event that a child in care becomes entitled to monies requiring investment a Trustee will need to be appointed to act on the child's behalf and in his/her best interests. When a child receives a capital sum it is usually as a beneficiary of an estate or the recipient of an award made by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board. In such circumstances it is a delegated function of the Assistant Director of Finance to act as Trustee.

High Interest Building Society Accounts are opened and when the child reaches their 18th birthday, the balance/account book is handed over for their own use. For further details contact Gordon Royle/Spencer Davies on 0161-234-3874 or e-mail clientfinancialservices@manchester.gov.uk

Funerals

The requirement of the Local Authority to arrange the burial or cremation of the deceased persons when no other suitable arrangements can be made is set out under the terms of Section 50 of the National Assistance Act 1948. Within the context of the regulations "suitable arrangements" cannot be made if there are no friends or relatives and/or there is no estate from which the cost can be met. The Local Authority responsible is the one within which death has taken place. Referrals or applications for such funerals can be received from care managers, relatives, police, residential establishments, hospitals. For further details contact Deborah Brett on 0161-234-3871 or e-mail d.brett@manchester.gov.uk

Care & Protection of Property including Kennelling

Section 48 of the National Assistance Act 1948 requires the Local Authority to care and protect the property (including pets) of persons in residential care or patients in hospital when no other suitable arrangements can be made. When a referral has been received action is taken to ensure the property is secure and any documents and items of a value are removed for safekeeping, and pets are looked after. Storage of furniture and effects for a limited period can also be arranged, if necessary. For further details contact Gordon Royle/Spencer Davies on 0161-234-3874 or e-mail clientfinancialservices@manchester.gov.uk

What should I do if my family or a friend manages my finances for me?

If someone else is managing your finances for you, it will be appropriate for them to provide your financial details and to sign and forms on your behalf. We will need to know their name and address so we can send the statements to them for payment. We will also need to know the relationship which this person has to sign on your behalf.