Appointee Service

Appointee Service

We may be able to provide an appointee or deputyship service to look after your finances if you become unable to manage them yourself and have no family or friends who are able to help.

What does an appointee do?


An Appointee is someone authorised by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to claim, collect and use welfare benefits and State Pension payments on behalf of someone, usually because of mental incapacity or severe physical disability. As Appointee, we will also ensure that you get the correct welfare benefit entitlement.

Service users in residential or nursing care under an Appointeeship are subject to an annual flat rate fee of £300 (plus VAT) per annum.

For services users living the in the community the annual charge is £576 (plus VAT). This charge is taken directly from the service users funds.

What does a deputy do?


A deputy is a person who is appointed by the Office Public Guardian to make decisions about the property and affairs (and/or health and welfare) of someone who lacks mental capacity to make those decisions. This service is a chargeable service and the charges are set by the Court of Protection.

If you have other assets, for example, property or have income other than payments received from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)  i.e. a private pension then we may apply for deputyship.

Please note that we do not provide a service to act as health and welfare deputy and so this will be for property and affairs only.


Am I eligible?


Before we can assume responsibility for your financial affairs we must maximise the support (where appropriate) of friends, families, associates and organisations. If this support is unavailable, only then will we look at managing your financial affairs (subject to you meeting the eligibility criteria).

To be eligible for our support you must meet all of the following conditions:

  • You must be eligible for a social care service
  • You do not have assets over £16,000 or own a property
  • You do not already have an appointee or did not appoint a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) before becoming unable to manage your finances
  • You have no appropriate family, friends, associates or access to organisations that will be able to help you with your finances
  • You lack the mental capacity to manage your financial affairs, are subject to (or at risk from) financial abuse (managing your financial affairs will form part of your protection plan)

If you lack mental capacity


If you lack mental capacity the decision for us to apply for either appointeeship or deputyship must be agreed through the best interest decision making process, and it must be in your best interest's and be the least restrictive option.

If you need more information


You can find more information in the Managing service user financial affairs policy & practice guidance.
Managing service user financial affairs policy & practice guidance

Useful Contacts

This contact includes a link to an external website:

Adult Care Services
Address: Number One Riverside,
Smith Street,
Rochdale OL16 1XU
Phone: 0300 303 8886

Department of Work and Pensions (DWP)
Address: The Pension House,
PO BOX15,
Chester, CH70 8BG
Phone: 0845 606 0265
Fax: 01925 401 852
Web: Department of Work and Pensions (DWP)