If you are not able to manage your financial affairs, an agent may be appointed to collect your payment and act on your behalf. In this case a medical practitioner must certify that you do not have the capacity to manage your financial affairs.
The agent nominated is often a family member, a care representative or a representative of a nursing home or hospital.
The payment is made electronically to a nominated bank account. It is recommended that a separate account be set up for this purpose.
In the case of a Ward of Court or an attorney appointed under an enduring power of attorney (see below), the Department of Social Protection will make payments directly to the Committee of the Ward or to the attorney by nominating them as agent for the social welfare recipient. All such payments will be made electronically to a nominated bank account.
Appointed agents have a legal duty to ensure the money is used for your benefit and they must also deal with other aspects of your social welfare payment. This includes notifying the Department of Social Protection of changes to your circumstances.
The agent nominated is often a family member, a care representative or a representative of a nursing home or hospital.
The payment is made electronically to a nominated bank account. It is recommended that a separate account be set up for this purpose.
In the case of a Ward of Court or an attorney appointed under an enduring power of attorney (see below), the Department of Social Protection will make payments directly to the Committee of the Ward or to the attorney by nominating them as agent for the social welfare recipient. All such payments will be made electronically to a nominated bank account.
Appointed agents have a legal duty to ensure the money is used for your benefit and they must also deal with other aspects of your social welfare payment. This includes notifying the Department of Social Protection of changes to your circumstances.
Power of attorney
A power of attorney is a document in which you (the donor) authorise another person (the donee or attorney) to act for you in certain matters – on your behalf and in your name – in accordance with the terms set out in the document. A power of attorney can be specific (limited to a particular purpose, for example, sale of your house in your absence) or general (entitling the attorney to do almost everything that you yourself could do).
A power of attorney must always be in writing. There are two kinds of power of attorney:
A power of attorney must always be in writing. There are two kinds of power of attorney:
- Power of attorney which gives either a specific or a general power and ceases as soon as the donor becomes incapacitated
- Enduring power of attorney which takes effect on the incapacity of the donor