 Lifeways has a strong specialist in-house Benefits team, who can advise on all aspects of income and expenditure. Our job is to ensure everyone who uses Lifeways services receive the maximum benefit to which they are entitled and our Benefits team are often able to reclaim past money owed.
Wide range of expertise
Our expertise covers all aspects of Social Security Benefits, Housing Benefits, Supporting People Grants and Independent Living Funds in order to help people pay for their services. We can also help with Direct Payments, Personal Budgets and Individual Budgets.
Acting as 'appointee'
We are 'appointee' to approximately half of the people who use our services, particularly those who do not have the mental capacity to manage their own financial affairs. This means we are responsible for everything to do with their benefits. We will always open a separate personal bank account and use their monetary entitlements to pay their housing and other living expenses. In these circumstances we keep a budget and detailed records of all financial transactions.
The decision to make an 'appointee' is never taken lightly. If we are the 'appointee' our approach is to involve those who use our services in decisions about how their money is spent. Where possible, we aim to build up their confidence in dealing with money, with a view to relinquishing our appointment to them at some future date if they and others involved in their care feel they are able to handle their own affairs.
If we are not the 'appointee' we are happy to help with the management of finances if asked to do so by the service user or by a family member who is his or her 'appointee'. We will always respect the privacy of the service user in respect of financial, as well as other, matters. |
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