‘I wasn’t prepared – it could have cost me thousands’

GEORGINA BAIDON SAYS, “My mother refused to put in place a Legal Power of Attorney (LPA), which would have allowed me to make decisions for her in the future, if she wasn’t able to, as she was terrified of losing control of her money.

“She lived alone and refused help until just before her 99th birthday, when her GP said she lacked mental capacity and social and care workers took over. She had enough money to pay for her care, but no one had access to it, so the council had to provide temporary funding. Social workers told me to apply to the Court of Protection for a Deputyship, which would let me to make financial decisions for her, because she had already lost the capacity to make an LPA. You apply using forms on the court’s website but

I found the process to be long-winded and confusing. I had to agree to pay back £220.50 a week for home care when my application was agreed, but then she went into a care home and costs rose to £608 a week. I became so frustrated by the delays and lack of communication that I made an official complaint and my court order was issued very quickly. That meant

I could use mum’s money to pay for her care, but not everyone would be able to do that

– and £608 a week is a lot.

“Aside from the money and stress, my mother and I didn’t have an easy relationship and all of this made it worse. My advice to anyone facing similar struggles would be to stand firm, not give an inch and make notes of every interaction.”