Carers given advice on gaining power of attorney

Carers who want to look after the financial affairs of those in their charge have been advised to seek lasting power of attorney.

The Daily Mail said that three in five individuals will find themselves becoming a carer and are often required to look after their money if the person they care for has cognitive problems.

According to the news source, setting up a lasting power of attorney (LPA) can be the best way to handle this.

However, the newspaper pointed out that even those with this legal ruling in place can still encounter problems and may require the help of legal solicitors.

"Very often carers are met with bank cashiers who don't understand or accept the LPA. We'd like to see improvements across all banks in terms of staff training and more flexible systems," Andrew Chidgey, of the Alzheimer's Society, said.

However, there are also cases where the person with the power of attorney causes problems, such as Zoe Berridge, a Lincolnshire woman with joint power of attorney over her elderly grandmother who stole money from her.