What is Deputyship? A Property and Affairs Deputy is a person appointed by the Court of Protection to make decisions for someone who is unable to make those decisions themselves.
Property and Affairs Deputies play an important role in the care of people whose lives have been affected by brain injury or any other type of mental impairment such as mental illness, dementia or learning difficulties. Their role is primarily to help the person they are responsible for with financial matters but their support can be more wide-ranging.
Deputies work with clients and their wider support teams to ensure that people affected by a mental impairment get the best and most cost-effective rehabilitation and tailor-made support so that they can have the best possible quality of life.
Deputies work closely with Healthcare Professionals, Personal Injury Solicitors, Case Managers, family members and friends to ensure that the needs of their client are fully met. They also liaise with the Department of Work and Pensions, local authorities and primary care trusts to ensure that their clients receive all of the Statutory funding to which they are entitled.
A Deputy can be a relative or friend (sometimes called a ‘lay deputy’) or someone professionally appointed, like a solicitor.