Help with Financial Support

St Helens Council Corporate Appointeeship   

An appointeeship allows another person to legally act for someone in administering that person's benefit. 

For adults who cannot manage their own financial affairs due to issues with their mental capacity or because they suffer from severe physical disabilities, an appointeeship may be needed.   

Who can have an appointee?  

Appointeeship can be granted for people in long term residential care or for people living in the community.  This is most suitable for people with no substantial savings or assets.   

Responsibilities of an appointee

An appointee takes on full responsibility for making and maintaining any claim of benefits and for spending the benefits.  

Responsibilities include:  

• completing all DWP forms when required 
• ensuring you have sufficient money to enable you to access services of your choice in the community or residential  
• monitoring savings levels to ensure correct benefits are being paid to you  
• monitoring expenditure in relation to the appointeeship bank account  
• maximising your benefits  
• completing regular audits to ensure your money is spent appropriately in the best interests of the service user  
• ensuring the payments of all utility bills and any other relevant bills including social care charges are covered.   

Appointees only manage a person's benefits - any other sources of income or substantial savings are not under the control of the appointee 

When the council will intervene  

When you are no longer able to manage your finances and have no family or friends that can help or support, it may be possible for the council to become your appointee or deputy. This is called corporate appointeeship/deputyship.  

For more information on becoming an appointee, see - Become an appointee for someone claiming benefits - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)