Many people are struggling with rising living costs.
That's why it's important to know what help and support is available now that could benefit you, a relative, friend or neighbour.
Get advice from the Council webiste.
Sheffield City Council: Cost of Living Support.
If you need help to manage your money there are ways you can get support, and ways you can make it easier for any person you want to help you.
If you want advice about how to manage your money better there are organisations that can help.
Help with budgeting, paying bills and managing your debts.
This information may help if you’re thinking you need help to manage your finances now, or if you want to make it easier for others to help you in the future.
Some support requires that you’re able to make decisions for yourself. This is also called mental capacity. A person does not have mental capacity if:
You can get more information on mental capacity.
You can ask a relative or friend to help you. There are different ways they can help.
If you want a relative or friend to help you claim any benefits you can tell the Department for Work and Pensions the person is helping you (they often call this person your representative). Get more advice on this from the Department for Work and Pensions.
Department for Work and Pensions: Help someone with their benefits claim.
If you want them to claim and manage your benefits for you they must be your Appointee.
Department for Work and Pensions: Become an appointee for someone claiming benefits.
If you want them to make decisions for you now or later, they must have your Power of Attorney (details below). To do this you must be able to make decisions now.
If you’re not able to make decisions and need someone to manage your income (like a private pension) and/or capital and property (like a house you own) the person must be your Deputy. There is more about this in the block called What is a Deputy? below.
You can pay an organisation to help you.
If you want them to help you claim any benefits you can tell the Department for Work and Pensions the organisation is helping you (this organisation is often called your representative). If you want them to claim and manage your benefits for you they must be your Appointee. Get more advice on this from the Department for Work and Pensions.
Department for Work and Pensions: Help someone with their benefits claim.
Department for Work and Pensions: Become an appointee for someone claiming benefits.
If you’re no longer able to make decisions and need someone to manage your income (like a private pension) or capital and property (like a house you own) the person must be your Deputy (details below).
The directory has details of companies that provide Appointee and Deputy services.
Appointee and Deputy services.
You can download a form on this page to help you choose the right service for you (Choosing a money support service).
If you have no relatives or friends that can help the Council can act as your Appointee (sometimes called a Corporate Appointee), or your Deputy (sometimes called a Court Appointed Deputy). The Council will do this if:
On rare occasions the Council will also become the Appointee for someone who can make decisions but is not able to manage their finances (for example because of illness or a physical disability).
If you need an Appointee this will be a part of your Care and Support Plan. The Council will work with you to create your plan, and work out how much you can afford to pay towards the cost of your care and support. There is more information about this on the Council website.
Sheffield City Council: Cost of care.
If you need a Deputy you will pay the costs. The Court of Protection charges for each application, and a charge for each year. Some people who receive benefits don’t pay. People on a low income can apply for a lower charge.
If you have an Appointee or Deputy as part of your care and support plan, you can choose the Council’s Money Management Service or you can buy support from a company that provides this service.
Sheffield City Council Money Management Service.
Appointee and Deputy services.
You can download the form on this page to help you choose the right service.
If you have a lot of capital or income you may need a specialist service to act as your Deputy (such as a solicitor), or a Panel Deputy. There is one company in Sheffield that provides this service.
Get details of all the Panel Deputy services in England and Wales from the Government website.
Gov.UK: Panel deputies: list of court-approved professionals.
An Appointee is someone responsible for your benefits. They can represent you – this means they can talk to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to make sure you get the right benefits. Your Appointee will collect your benefits, and tell the DWP about any changes that could change the benefits you get. Your Appointee will often also help you to manage your money by paying bills and giving you money each week to spend on the things you like.
Your Appointee can’t make other decisions about your finances, like any valuables you have or if you own a property like your home.
You can have a relative or friend as your Appointee. Or you can pay an organisation to be your Appointee. There's more information about about these options above.
Anyone you pay to provide care and support should not also be your Appointee as there could be a conflict of interests. It is allowed in exceptional circumstances, for example if the person is your only close relative.
You do not need an Appointee if you have a financial Lasting Power of Attorney (details below).
The Department of Work and Pensions must authorise your Appointee. There is no charge for this. Get more advice on this from the Department for Work and Pensions.
Department for Work and Pensions: Become an appointee for someone claiming benefits.
There are also options if you just want someone to help you with your benefits claim. Get more advice on this from the Department for Work and Pensions.
Department for Work and Pensions: Help someone with their benefits claim.
Someone who is your Power of Attorney helps you by making decisions for you. You give them this power in a legal document called a Lasting Power of Attorney. The person you choose can have legal power for your health and welfare, or your finances and property, or both. Doing this while you have mental capacity may be easier and cheaper, as the process to be allowed to make decisions for someone who lacks mental capacity (called being a Deputy) is more complex and costly.
The person you choose must be over 18 years of age and have mental capacity. The person cannot be your attorney for property and financial affairs if they have a Debt Relief Order (a way to write-off debts) or have declared bankruptcy.
You can choose one person or more than one person, and you can decide if they must agree each decision jointly or if one person can decide for some things alone. If later the people you choose disagree about a decision that must be made jointly they can meet together to decide what is in your best interests. If they still cannot agree one person may ask the Court of Protection to decide.
Sometimes this can be a difficult conversation. The Office of the Public Guardian has 5 top tips on starting a difficult conversation.
Office of the Public Guardian:
Top tips on starting difficult conversations about Lasting Power of Attorneys.
To set up a Power of Attorney takes time (about 20 weeks in January 2024) to fill in the forms and register with the Office of the Public Guardian. There is also a cost – most people pay but there is advice on the Government website on exemptions if you receive certain benefits, and discounts if you receive Universal Credit or have a low income.
Gov.UK: Power of Attorney.
The Government service in charge of this is called the Office of the Public Guardian. It helps people who need an attorney, and helps attorneys as well. It keeps a record of attorneys and deputies, and investigates any complaints about them.
If you can still make your own decisions but need someone to make decisions for you for a short time (for example because of illness or during a holiday) you can use an Ordinary Power of Attorney. This can also be used when you want someone to make decisions for you while you can supervise their actions. You must be able to make your own decisions to use an Ordinary Power of Attorney, so if you want to plan for when you can no longer make decisions use a Lasting Power of Attorney.
There is a standard form of words you should use for the Ordinary Power of Attorney. There are websites that can create this by asking you a few questions, some for free and others charge. You can also buy a pack with advice and a form to complete. Available from stationery shops like WH Smith, Rymans or from online shops like Amazon.
You can get more advice on the Ordinary Power of Attorney from a solicitor, from Citizens Advice or from the Government.
Law Society: Power of attorney.
Citizen's Advice: Ordinary Power of Attorney.
Gov.UK: Make decisions for someone.
If you can’t make decisions a Deputy can be responsible for your personal welfare (such as medical treatment), or for your property and finances (called your property and affairs), or both.
A Deputy is appointed by the Government’s Court of Protection, so they are sometimes called a Court Appointed Deputy.
A Property and Finances Deputy can be responsible for collecting benefits and paying bills, and any valuables you have or if you own a property like your home.
A Deputy can be a relative or friend, or an organisation can be your Deputy.
If you only need support with managing your benefits or state pension, you can get an Appointee for this. There is more information above about this.
If there is no relative or friend the Council may become your Deputy. There is more information above about this.
The Government’s Court of Protection must appoint your Deputy and decide what powers to give your Deputy. There is a charge for this, but some people who receive benefits don’t pay. People on a low income can apply for a lower charge.
The Government service in charge of this is called the Office of the Public Guardian. It helps people who want to be a Deputy. It keeps a record of attorneys and deputies, and investigates any complaints about them.
You can download a form to complete from the Government website. The form includes advice on what to do.
Gov.UK: Become a Deputy.
Money advice
There are many national and local voluntary organisations that can help.
Carers
Learning disability
Mental Health
Older People
Physical Disability
Disability Sheffield.
Call: 0114 253 6750.
Text Only Number: 07541 937.
Email: info@disabilitysheffield.org.uk.
Sensory Impairment
Mental capacity
Appointee
Power of Attorney
Deputy
GOV.UK: Make decisions on behalf of someone.