We can offer legal protection for people who are unable to look after their own affairs and those who may be vulnerable to financial abuse.

Our protection team also provides other legal and care services, including looking after pets and arranging funerals, for people in the Royal Borough of Greenwich who are in need.

• For those who are incapable of managing their affairs, finances are managed in partnership with people themselves, care managers and support workers. The aim is to protect people from financial abuse through a process called receivership - a form of power of attorney
• Funerals are arranged for those who die in the Royal Borough with no one to arrange such services
• Property storage is organised for people in short-term care or in hospital
• Care of animals is arranged for those in short-term care or in hospital with no family available to look after pets.

What is 'receivership'?

Receivership is the power granted by the Court of Protection to the Royal Borough of Greenwich, enabling us to manage the finances of individuals who are mentally incapable of dealing with their own financial affairs. It is similar to power of attorney. We can only be made a receiver by the Court of Protection following a lengthy application process.

For more information on receivership, visit the website of the Office of the Public Guardian.

Referrals

If you need the legal team's help with finances, pets or property, your care manager or the duty officer from your local mental health authority can refer you to the team.

The team cannot accept referrals directly from individuals, friends or family members. For help and advice, please contact us.

Charges

In certain instances, users of these services are expected to make a contribution towards care.

Appointees

When someone becomes mentally incapable of managing their own financial affairs and has no savings, you can apply to the Department of Work and Pensions to act as appointee for that person.

State benefits will then be paid to the appointee, who then has a duty to ensure that the monies are dealt with in a proper manner. An appointee is personally liable for the monies received.

Further information is available from the Department for Work and Pensions.