To the Heart of the Matter 14 November 2003

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To the Heart of the Matter14 November 2003

• Financial Abuse
• Pauline Thompson
• Policy Officer, Community Care Finance
• (e-mail thompsp_at_ace.org.uk)

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Definitions

• Financial or material abuse, including theft,
  fraud, exploitation, pressure in connection with
  wills, property or inheritance or financial
  transactions, or the misuse or misappropriation
  of property, possessions or benefits.
• No Secrets.

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Definitions

• The intentional or opportunistic appropriation
  of income, capital or property of a vulnerable
  person through theft, deception, undue influence
  or exploitation including the hoarding of a
  vulnerable persons resources for future gain
  which is also a form of exploitation and may be
  associated with culpable neglect. Hilary Brown.

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Different types of abuser

• Wormers-in
• Friends and family
• Professional people

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Typical signs of abuse

• Unexplained withdrawals from accounts
• The inclusion of anothers name on the bank
  account
• The sudden involvement of a relative who takes
  over the management of the persons finances and
  yet bills remain unpaid
• Abrupt changes to wills
• The unexplained transfer of large sums of money
  or gifting the property
• A person who has managed their money well failing
  to pay bills, or keep their property in the way
  they did in the past

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Typical signs of abuse (contd)

• The unexplained disappearance of items that are
  valuable
• Not allowing friends and family access to the
  person and so isolating them to gain more
  control
• The person becoming anxious and confused about
  their finances
• The person being tense after particular people
  have visited
• Other forms of abuse being present.

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Law and guidance

• No Secrets/In Safe Hands (Wales)
• National Minimum Standards
• Theft Act 1968
• Stop Now Orders
• EPAs and Receivership
• Appointeeship
• Public Interest and Disclosure Act
  1998
• British Bankers Association Guidance

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Close judgement calls

• What does the victim want?
• What is the victims capacity?
• What are the dynamics of the relationship?
• What type of influence?

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Supporting staff

• At all levels
• Over time
• When staff are accused

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Moving forward

• Locally
• Contracts
• Using the assessment process financial domain
• Commissioning sensitively where there is risk
• Additional links especially with banks
• Feedback from staff.

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Moving forward

• Nationally
• Benefit payment cards
• Mental incapacity legislation
• What about those who have capacity?
• Supplementary guidance specific to financial
  abuse
• Getting banks on board
• Links with the PGO
• Leaflet

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Moving forward

• Research
• Characteristics of the perpetrator
• Reporting of financial abuse
• How the victims found the process