A Power of Attorney (PoA) lets someone you trust manage your finances or make financial decisions for you. You might want to do this because of a change in your health or situation.
How to register your PoA
If you already have a PoA, or similar, here's what we need to register this with us. Please only register the PoA with us once access is needed.
- A completed Power of Attorney registration form. Once you've filled in the form, send it to us at:
Cater Allen Operations
Sunderland
SR43 4FB - ID for all attorneys (or similar). We need one from list 1 and one from list 2. To find out which forms of ID we'll accept, download our Customer identification requirements document.
- A copy of the legal document, or your digital access code, if you have one. We can only accept UK PoA legal documents.
- Make sure you've read the FSCS information sheet and exclusions list before filling in the form.
Once we have all we need to register the PoA, we'll aim to register it within 7 to 10 working days. We'll confirm this to you by post.
If you have any questions, take a look at our helpful fact sheet. Or you can call us.
If you don't have a Power of Attorney, here's what you need to know
This is also known as a General Power of Attorney. It can be used on a temporary basis while the person can still make their own decisions. It can cover a hospital stay or holiday. It can also be used if the customer finds it hard to get to a branch. This document needs to be at least 1 page long, with all signatures witnessed.
This is also know as an Enduring Power of Attorney (used before 2007 in England and still in use in Northern Ireland) or a Continuing Power of Attorney (in Scotland).
These are used to give someone legal authority over your money in case you lose your mental capacity. They can also be used when you still have mental capacity. You can register one now with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG), or plan for it to come into effect at a future date.
Once we receive a document, we'll set up the PoA on the accounts. If the document says that it can only be registered when the customer has lost capacity, we'll take this as confirmation that the customer has lost capacity and remove their access.
A Lasting PoA for property and financial affairs is a document that's at least 11 pages long. It needs an OPG stamp and to be signed by our customer and the attorneys. Or you can provide the OPG access code if you have one.
OPG access codes expire after 30 days. So, please make sure that it won't expire within 5 working days of your application.
An Enduring PoA, registered with the OPG or Court of Protection, is a document that's at least 4 pages long. Part A, part B, part B continued, part C and part C continued of the form must be filled in. The form also needs to be signed by the customer and all attorneys, with the signatures witnessed.
This is referred to as a Guardianship in Scotland or Controllership in Northern Ireland.
These are used if you lose mental capacity and haven't previously set up a Lasting PoA (or similar). It lets the courts appoint someone to make decisions for you. This document is usually 2 pages long with an official court stamp.
To view the relevant government page, head to the helpful links below.
There are different types of PoA, and you might want to have more than one. If you're unsure what help you, or someone else might need, use the table below.
Can be used if you: | Ordinary or General Power of Attorney | Lasting or Continuing Power of Attorney | Court of Protection |
|---|---|---|---|
Just need help with the small things, like shopping or getting cash. | No | No | No |
Are physically ill, injured or disabled. | Yes | Yes | No |
Need a little help with looking after your day-to-day banking, for a shorter period of time, but you don't want someone to make decisions for you. | No | No | No |
You will be abroad and won't have access to your account (for example, travelling). | Yes | Yes | No |
Are preparing for when you'll be unable to make decisions or want someone to start looking after all of your finances. | No | Yes | No |
No longer have the mental capacity to make decisions, and someone needs to do this for you. | No | No | Yes |
- The attorneys are responsible for using the accounts in line with the account holder's wishes. We can't enforce any instructions or restrictions within the PoA document other than the expiry date.
- Attorneys who act jointly can't be given a debit card.
- The account holder will lose access to their own accounts if:
- a Court of Protection, Guardianship or Controllership Order is registered, or
- you register a Lasting Power of Attorney with a loss of mental capacity clause, or
- if we're made aware that the account holder has lost capacity and can't manage their own accounts and finances.
- We can't accept any PoA documents registered outside the UK.
- An attorney must always act in the best interests of the customer they're supporting. They can't make the credit position of the customer worse.
- You can have restrictions or preferences in your PoA document. It's up to the account holder (donor) and the attorneys to make sure they act in line with them. They'll also need to make sure they keep us up to date with any changes in circumstances. We can't act on or impose any restrictions.
- Attorneys will receive correspondence (for example, statements) for the account owner from the point of registration.
- An Ordinary or General PoA can't be used once the customer loses mental capacity.
- All PoA legal documents cease once the customer dies. You can tell us if a customer of ours has died by visiting our bereavement page.
Sibstar
Sibstar gives you a debit card and app that lets someone you trust help you with your money. With Sibstar you can stay independent while giving yourself and your loved ones peace of mind. Sibstar is a paid-for service and is not part of Cater Allen. We're proud to be working with them.
Our forms
This factsheet that gives you more information about Registering a Power of attorney, or a Court of Protection order with us.
This Power of Attorney registration form should be used if you're an individual or professional attorney (such as a solicitor) or a local authority acting on behalf of one of our customers.
Don't use this form if a trust corporation has been appointed. Please call us for the correct form.