Guide: LEG3 Help to manage your money and benefits by Age Scotland

Help to manage your money and benefits

Who we are

Age Scotland is the national charity for older people. We work to improve the lives of everyone over the age of 50 and promote their rights and interests.

Our vision is a Scotland which is the best place in the world to grow older.

Our mission is to inspire, involve and empower older people in Scotland, and influence others, so that people enjoy better later lives.

We have three strategic aims:

We help older people to be as well as they can be

We promote a positive view of ageing and later life

We tackle loneliness and isolation

How we can help

We know that growing older doesn’t come with a manual. Later life can bring changes and opportunities to your life and you may need to know about rights, organisations and services which are unfamiliar to you.

That’s why we provide free information and advice to help you on a range of topics including benefits and entitlements, social care, legal issues such as Power of Attorney, housing and much more. All of our guides are available to download for free from our website, or you can contact our helpline team to have copies posted to you for free.

Our helpline is a free, confidential phone service for older people, their carers and families in Scotland looking for information and advice.

Later life can bring times when you just need someone to talk to. Our friendship line is part of our wider helpline and older people can call us for a chat. We’re here to listen, provide friendship and offer support.

This information guide has been prepared by Age Scotland and contains general advice only. It should not be relied upon as a basis for any decision or action, nor used as a substitute for professional advice. Neither Age Scotland nor any of its subsidiary companies or charities accepts any liability arising from its use and it is the reader’s sole responsibility to ensure any information is up to date and accurate.

Please note that the inclusion of named agencies, websites, companies, products, services or publications in this information guide does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement by Age Scotland or any of its subsidiary

Introduction

If you are struggling to manage your money, bills or any benefits you claim, there are ways to make things easier. This guide looks at the different options that could help you to stay on top of money management.

You might just want occasional help, or to change how you do things so you can keep doing them independently. If you would like more help, there are a number of ways to give another person permission to help you with different aspects of managing your money.

If you do want extra help, it is important to choose someone you trust not to abuse their position of responsibility. They will also need to respect your decisions about your finances; do not choose someone who you know will disagree with your wishes. Anyone who repeatedly asks you to give or lend them money, or does not manage their own money well, is not the right choice.

If you are being pressured into giving someone money and are uncomfortable with this, call the Age Scotland helpline on 0800 12 44 222.

Legal powers over finances

The formal legal way to have help looking after your money and finances is to set up Power of Attorney. This allows you to let someone take or share legal responsibility for managing any part of your financial situation, including benefit claims and any property or assets you own.

You can choose the powers you would like the person, or people, to have. You can also choose whether these powers start immediately or if they will only start if you become unable to make financial decisions for yourself.

You must grant someone Power of Attorney while you have the mental capacity to understand the decision to do so. For more information, see Age Scotland’s Guide to Power of Attorney in Scotland.

If you no longer have the mental capacity to make financial decisions and you have not set up Power of Attorney, other options may need to be considered. For more information, see Age Scotland’s guide Legal options for someone who has lost capacity.

Legal options for someone who has lost capacity

A guide to Power of Attorney in Scotland

Banking and bills

Keeping on top of bills and paperwork can be difficult at any time of life. As you get older, you may have additional bills you were not paying before, and different sources of income. You may also be finding it harder to get out to your nearest bank, building society or credit union branch. This section looks at ways to make your banking and bill payments a little easier.

Telephone banking allows you to arrange many financial matters without leaving your home. It is offered by most banks and building societies. You will need to prove your identity each time you phone. If you cannot always remember your security details, they may be able to use voice recognition to identify you when you call them.

Online banking allows you to manage your banking on the internet and keep a close eye on your income and spending. You can transfer money between accounts, set up regular bill payments or make one-off payments. If you want help with online banking, you should grant someone Power of Attorney (see page 2) or set up a third-party mandate (see below). Never give out the login details for your online banking in any other situation.

Third-party mandates allow a named person to manage your bank, building society or credit union account on your behalf. You can set this up for a short period of time or have a longterm arrangement. A third-party mandate is suitable if you want someone to be able to carry out day-to-day banking tasks for you, like paying in or withdrawing money, or making bill payments. They cannot usually open or close accounts for you or borrow money on your behalf.

Joint accounts allow you to share the responsibility for an account with up to two other account holders. Each account holder can deposit and withdraw money, and pay bills using the account. Some accounts can be restricted so they can only be used to write cheques, or so that they require cheques to be signed by more than one account holder.

Be very careful about who you choose to be a joint account holder. Each account holder is considered to own an equal share of the money in the account and is equally responsible if the account is overdrawn.

A joint account may not be the right choice if you or another account holder wants to apply for a means-tested benefit, including help towards care costs. This is because money in joint accounts will be included in the financial assessment for means-tested help.

If you are unsure whether a joint account is the right choice, call the Age Scotland helpline on 0800 12 44 222 for advice.

Direct debits can be set up for regular bills such as your Council Tax, telephone and fuel bills. Once you have set them up for each supplier, your bills will be paid automatically from your account. Companies must tell you in advance how much they will take and when.

Standing orders are for regular bills that cost the same amount of money each time you pay them. You can set up payments to be taken every week, month or other period of time. They can be useful for things like rent payments or money you want to transfer regularly between your own accounts.

Third-party bill management must be offered by all telecommunication providers. This allows you to choose a friend or family member to manage the bills for your phone, internet and television service. Your nominated person will be sent copies of your bills and be able to pay them on your behalf.

Help managing benefits

If someone has legal power over your finances, they can manage all aspects of your benefits for you. See page 2 for more information. There are also other ways you can get help with managing your benefits.

Appointees

If you are not able to manage your benefit claim yourself, Social Security Scotland and the Department for Work and Pensions can authorise someone to be your appointee.

Appointees are responsible for managing all aspects of your claim on your behalf. This could involve answering letters and phone calls, reporting any changes that affect the amount of benefit you are entitled to, signing forms and spending income from your benefits in your best interests.

For benefits paid by Social Security Scotland: call 0800 182 2222.

For benefits paid by the Department for Work and Pensions: call the number on your benefit letter or visit www.gov.uk/becomeappointee-for-someone-claiming-benefits.

Third-party representatives

If you would just like some help contacting the benefits office, you can ask someone to be your representative, sometimes called a third-party representative. They will not be able to access your personal details or make any changes to your claim, but they will be able to find out and provide information on your behalf. You can decide how long your named person has permission to help you manage your benefit. This could be an unlimited time, a set amount of time or for the duration of a specific process, such as the application process or an appeal about a decision.

For benefits paid by Social Security Scotland: call 0800 182 2222 or visit www.mygov.scot/third-party-authorisation-form. For benefits paid by the Department for Work and Pensions: call the number on your benefit letter.

Payment Exception Service

If you are not able to open a bank, building society or credit union account, you can apply to use the Payment Exception Service. This lets you collect your benefit money from a PayPoint outlet by presenting them with a payment card, voucher or text message. There are PayPoint outlets in many local newsagents, convenience stores and supermarkets. If you cannot collect the money yourself, you can arrange for someone else to collect it on your behalf. For more information, visit www.gov.uk/payment-exception-service or call 0800 015 2902.

For more information about getting help with your benefits, call the Age Scotland helpline on 0800 12 44 222.

Shopping Shopping for yourself

If you are struggling to handle money but you are keen to keep your independence, there are a number of ways to make it easier to buy and pay for the things you need.

Contactless - you can pay by holding your payment card or other payment device close to the reader; there is no need to enter a PIN. Most shops have a limit of £100 for contactless payments. Some cards allow you to reduce this amount which can be helpful if you want to keep an eye on spending.

Chip and sign cards – this lets you sign your name instead of entering a PIN number. You can ask your bank about getting one if you find it hard to remember a PIN or to type in numbers.

Reloadable charge cards – if you regularly use the same supermarket, you can buy a reloadable card and put money on it. This can then be used to pay for your grocery shopping without the need for a PIN or to sign anything. Using a reloadable card can also help you to keep track of your spending.

Choose when and where to shop – if you need extra time when paying, local stores will often have more time to help you than big supermarkets. There are also times of day when shops will be quieter or more staff will be available to help you.

Online supermarket shopping - most supermarkets now offer this service for a fee. You will need to set up an account online, select your items and choose a delivery slot. The delivery charge will depend on the time of day you choose. Some stores offer priority delivery slots for older people.

Buying other items online – you can buy almost anything online and have it delivered to your door. Delivery charges can sometimes be high, so check these before you buy. You should also check how long delivery will take. If you are buying from a business you are not familiar with, check the bar at the top of your screen to make sure the website address starts with https://. This shows that the site is secure.

Getting help with shopping

You may have someone who picks up your shopping for you. If you want to keep control over this, you could write a shopping list and ask for the receipts. If you know you can trust the person, you could set up a standing order to pay them a regular amount. This will avoid having to exchange cash, and means you will have a record of your payments.

Volunteer shopping services are available in some areas. These are sometimes offered through charities, such as Food Train.

Useful contacts

Age Scotland helpline 0800 12 44 222

The Age Scotland helpline provides information, friendship and advice to older people, their relatives and carers.

If you need an interpreter, call 0800 12 44 222 and simply state the language you need e.g. Polish or Urdu. Stay on the line for a few minutes and the Age Scotland helpline will do the rest.

You can call us for a copy of our publications list. You can also download or order copies of our guides at www.age.scot/information.

Citizens Advice Scotland

Provides free and confidential advice on any issue relating to welfare, including benefits and managing money.

0800 028 1456

www.cas.org.uk / www.moneytalkteam.org.uk

MoneyHelper

A government-backed service that offers clear, unbiased advice and information by phone and online. They can provide information on pensions, investments, saving, borrowing, budgeting, tax, benefits and more.

0800 138 7777

www.moneyhelper.org.uk

How you can help

Our vision is a Scotland which is the best place in the world to grow older.

All the information we provide is free and impartial. It helps older people access their rights and entitlements and can be life changing.

We are also a lifeline for older people who are feeling lonely and isolated. You can help us to support older people who need us most. Together, we can make a difference.

Make a donation

No matter how small or large, donations make a massive difference and help us continue our important work.

Call 03330 15 14 60

Visit age.scot/donate

Text AGESCOTGIVE to 70085 to donate £5*

Complete the donation form and return by Freepost

Fundraise

Whether it’s having a bake sale or running a marathon, there are so many ways to raise vital funds to support our work. To find out more, call 0333 323 2400 or visit age.scot/fundraise.

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a gift in your Will

By choosing to leave us a gift in your Will, you can help us to continue being there for older people in the years to come. To find out more, call 0333 323 2400 or visit age.scot/legacy.

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Keeping in touch

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You can read Age Scotland’s privacy policy at . We will stay in contact by post unless you ask us not to We will never sell your data and we promise to keep your details safe and secure You can change your mind at any time by emailing us on contact@agescotland.org.uk or calling us on 0333 323 2400.

Age Scotland is the national charity for older people. We work to improve the lives of everyone over the age of 50 so that they can love later life.

Our vision is

a Scotland which is the best place in the world to grow older.

Let’s

keep in touch

Head office

0333 323 2400

Age Scotland helpline 0800 12 44 222

Email info@agescotland.org.uk

Visit our website www.agescotland.org.uk

Our regular newsletters by email contain details of our campaigns, services and how you can support our work.

Our social media channels are a great way to keep up to date with our work and issues that affect older people.

Age Scotland, part of the Age Network, is an independent charity dedicated to improving the later lives of everyone on the ageing journey, within a charitable company limited by guarantee and registered in Scotland. Registration Number: SC153343. Charity Number: SC010100. Registered Office: Causewayside House, 160 Causewayside, Edinburgh, EH9 1PR

We are grateful to the Scottish Government for part-funding this publication