Financial abuse in families is more common than you might think. A study published in October 2023 on the Cambridge University website said that the results of 214 court rulings identified that almost 74 per cent of financial abusers were family members. This was compared to outsiders, who represented 19.2 per cent of the abusers.
If you suspect theft has occurred, report it to the police immediately by calling 101. If you suspect fraud, visit the Action Fraud website at https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/
For more advice, call Action on Elder Abuse's helpline at 0800 0699 784 or Age UK’s Advice Line at 0808 808 8141.
Abuse of Lasting Power of Attorney
If you suspect that a family member or close friend is abusing their role as an attorney in a Lasting Power of Attorney for the person, you can call the Office of the Public Guardian on 0300 456 0300 or email opg.safeguardingunit@publicguardian.gsi.gov.uk
If there is more than one attorney, you may wish to inform the other person of your concerns.
How to revoke a Lasting Power of Attorney
The person with dementia can revoke a Lasting Power of Attorney if they have concerns about the person they had previously appointed and they are deemed to have mental capacity.
The person is usually deemed to have mental capacity if they can remember the information long enough to decide and understand the consequences.
To revoke a Lasting Power of Attorney, the person would need to write to the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) and send them a written statement known as a ‘partial deed of revocation’. The address to write to is:
Office of the Public Guardian
PO Box 16185
Birmingham
B2 2WH
The wording they need to use for this document is listed on the government’s website. Visit:
https://www.gov.uk/power-of-attorney/change-your-lasting-power-of-attorney#:~:text=You%20can%20ask%20the%20Office,'partial%20deed%20of%20revocation
Sources:
https://dementiahelpuk.com/coping-with-financial-abuse/
https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/
https://www.gov.uk/power-of-attorney/end