Have you been left hacked off with your bank in relation to your responsibilities as a carer, attorney or deputy?

Carers' Rights

Apparently, research suggests that 3 in every 5 people will possibly become a carer  -  most commonly to a partner, spouse or parent.

Where there is cognitive impairment, carers frequently need to oversee their financial affairs.

The most common way to manage this is to set up a lasting power of attorney (LPA). LPAs must be set up while people still have mental capacity and can appoint attorneys themselves. They take at least three months to register and are usually designed to become effective only later.

LPAs replaced enduring powers of attorney (EPAs) in October 2007, but pre-2007 EPAs do still remain valid.

It is different when the person you care for is already unable to manage. In these circumstances the carer can be appointed as deputy through the Court of Protection.

Banks should recognise LPAs and deputies and help in the operating of accounts, but there are problems. As carers are sometimes met with bank cashiers who do not understand or accept the LPA.

A British Bankers' Association booklet describes how banks should deal with attorneys and deputies (via www.bba.org.uk ) and also how to complain if they don't.

Other sources of information include the Court of Protection (via www.hmcourtsservice.gov.uk ) and charities Carers UK (via www.carersuk.org ) and The Alzheimer's Society (via www.alzheimers.org.uk ).