What is a DWP appointee?

An appointee is a person or organisation the Department for Work and Pensions formally authorises to act for someone who cannot manage their own benefits — usually because a mental health condition, dementia, a learning disability or a severe disability stops them managing their affairs. The appointee makes and signs benefit claims, receives the payments, spends the money in the claimant's best interests (rent, bills, food, their needs), reports every change of circumstances, and deals with all the benefit letters. It covers benefits only — not bank accounts, savings, property or other income — and it is free to set up. Only one appointee can act for a claimant at a time, and the appointee must be 18 or over. It can be a relative, friend or carer, or an organisation such as a council or solicitor.

How do I become an appointee for someone's benefits?

Contact the DWP office that deals with the benefit — the phone number is on any recent letter about that benefit (for example the Pension Service, the PIP enquiry line or the Universal Credit helpline). Tell them the person cannot manage their own claims and you want to apply to be their appointee. The DWP then usually arranges for a visiting officer to interview you — and normally to see the claimant too — to check the arrangement is suitable. The application form, BF56, is completed as part of that interview. If the DWP agrees, you receive form BF57 confirming the appointment — you are not the appointee until that arrives. There is no fee and you do not need a solicitor.

Is an appointee the same as a Power of Attorney?

No — this is the most common confusion. An appointee covers benefits only and is granted by the DWP, and it can be set up after the person has lost capacity. A property-and-financial-affairs Lasting Power of Attorney covers all of someone's finances — bank accounts, savings, property, pensions — but must be made while the person still has mental capacity, and is registered with the Office of the Public Guardian. If capacity has already been lost and more than benefits needs managing, the route is a Court of Protection deputyship. If a registered financial LPA is already in place, a separate appointeeship is not usually needed — the DWP can deal with the attorney — though arrangements vary, so confirm with the office that pays the benefit.

Can an appointee be held responsible for benefit overpayments?

Yes. An appointee takes on the claimant's duties, including reporting every change of circumstances — moving home, going into hospital or a care home, savings changing, someone moving in, health improving. If an overpayment happens because the appointee failed to report a change or gave wrong information, the DWP can recover that overpayment from the appointee personally, not just from the claimant. Keeping simple records and reporting changes promptly is the single best protection. Misusing the money itself — spending it on anything other than the claimant's needs and best interests — is treated as benefit fraud.

Becoming a DWP appointee: managing benefits for someone who can’t

Q: Does a DWP appointee cover Scottish benefits or Child Benefit?

Not automatically. Social Security Scotland runs its own appointee process under Scottish law for benefits like Adult Disability Payment and Child Disability Payment — a DWP appointment does not normally carry across, so contact Social Security Scotland separately (though the DWP will generally accept an existing Social Security Scotland or Northern Ireland authority without a fresh application its way). HMRC runs its own arrangement for Child Benefit. If the person receives benefits from more than one agency, check with each one — in practice it is simplest for the same person to be recognised by all of them.

Who needs an appointee — and who can be one

An appointee steps in when a benefit claimant can’t manage their own affairs — usually because they lack mental capacity (dementia, a learning disability, severe mental illness, a brain injury), or because they’re so severely disabled that managing claims and correspondence isn’t realistically possible. The test is practical, not medical jargon: can this person understand, claim and manage their benefits themselves? If not, the DWP will consider appointing someone to do it for them.

The appointee is usually the person already doing the caring — a parent, adult child, sibling, friend or carer. It can also be an organisation: a local council, a solicitor, or a specialist money-management charity (common for people in care homes with no family able to act — a “corporate appointee”). The rules are simple:

One appointee at a time. Only one person or organisation can act for a claimant — there’s no joint appointeeship.
18 or over, and normally someone in regular contact with the claimant who knows their circumstances.
The claimant’s benefits are paid to you — typically into an account you control — and you take on the claimant’s duties: making and signing claims, reporting changes, and spending the money on their needs.
It ends when the claimant recovers the ability to manage their own claims, when you ask the DWP to end it, or when the DWP revokes it (it can, at any time, if the arrangement isn’t working in the claimant’s interests).

Children’s disability benefits work this way automatically — a parent claiming DLA for a child is acting as their appointee — so most people first meet the system when an adult loses capacity.

Free, and built for familiesThis is one part of the capacity system with no fee, no court and no solicitor. If all the person has is their benefits — State Pension, Pension Credit, PIP, Attendance Allowance, Universal Credit — an appointeeship is often all the legal authority a family carer needs, and it can be set up after capacity has been lost, when it’s too late to make a Power of Attorney. Don’t let anyone sell you an expensive deputyship application before checking whether this free route covers everything that actually needs managing.

Appointee vs LPA vs deputyship — the table that untangles it

Four different tools let one person handle another’s money, and they are constantly confused. Here’s the whole map:

Tool	Covers	When it can be set up	Granted by · cost
DWP appointee	Benefits only — claims, letters, payments, spending the benefit money in their interests	When the person already can’t manage their claims (no capacity needed from them)	The DWP, after an interview · free
Lasting Power of Attorney (property & financial affairs)	All finances — bank accounts, savings, bills, property, pensions, and benefits too	Only while the person still has capacity to grant it — then registered with the Office of the Public Guardian	The person themselves · £92 OPG registration — see our LPA guide
Court of Protection deputyship	All finances (like an LPA)	After capacity is lost, when no LPA was made and more than benefits needs managing	The Court of Protection · court fees + ongoing supervision — see GOV.UK: become a deputy
Bank third-party mandate	One bank account only, day-to-day access	While the person has capacity and agrees — it normally lapses if capacity is lost	The bank · free

The practical rule of thumb: if the person still has capacity, make the LPA now — it covers everything, including benefits, and avoids the far more expensive deputyship route later. If capacity has already gone and their only income is benefits, an appointeeship alone is often enough. If capacity has gone and there are savings, property or other income to manage, you’re looking at a deputyship — with an appointeeship often running alongside it for the benefits themselves.

Already an attorney? The honest answerIf a registered property-and-financial-affairs LPA (or a deputyship) is already in place, a separate appointeeship is not usually needed — the DWP can deal with the attorney or deputy directly. In practice, arrangements vary between benefit offices and some attorneys are still asked to become the appointee for benefits specifically, so tell the office that pays the benefit about the LPA and ask what they need. Send certified copies, never originals.

How to apply — a phone call, a visit, one form

Phone the office that deals with the benefit. There’s no central appointee line — you contact whoever pays the benefit, on the number printed on any recent letter about it: the Pension Service for State Pension and Pension Credit, the PIP enquiry line, the Universal Credit helpline, the Attendance Allowance unit, and so on. Say the person can’t manage their own claims and you want to apply to become their appointee.
The DWP arranges an interview — usually a visiting officer comes out, normally seeing both you and the claimant, to check the person genuinely can’t manage their claims and that you’re suitable. It’s a conversation, not an exam: they want to see that you know the person’s circumstances and will act in their interests.
Form BF56 is completed as part of the interview — the formal application, covering how the claimant is unable to manage and your details. You don’t need medical evidence in most cases, though a GP letter or diagnosis can help.
Form BF57 confirms the appointment. If the DWP agrees, you’re sent BF57 — and only then are you the appointee. From that point the benefit is paid to you, and every letter about it should come to you.

If the person is starting a new claim at the same time (very common — e.g. claiming Attendance Allowance for a parent with dementia), say so on the first call: the appointee application and the benefit claim can run together, and Age UK on 0800 678 1602 or your local Citizens Advice will help with both for free.

Report every change — the liability is realAs appointee you take on the claimant’s legal duty to report every change of circumstances: moving home, hospital stays over 28 days, moving into a care home, savings crossing a threshold, someone moving in, health improving. If an overpayment happens because you didn’t report a change or gave wrong information, the DWP can recover that money from you personally — not just from the claimant. The protection is boring and effective: report changes the week they happen, keep copies of letters, and jot down what came in and what it paid for. Overpaid anyway? See our benefit overpayments guide — not every demand is right, and official-error rules may help.

What you take on — the job, honestly described

Being an appointee is mostly quiet admin — but it’s a formal role, and it’s worth going in with clear eyes. You are responsible for:

Making and signing claims — including renewals, reviews and award forms (a PIP review form, an AA renewal) — and answering the DWP’s letters on time;
Receiving the money and spending it only on the claimant’s needs and best interests — rent, bills, food, clothes, care costs, things that improve their life;
Reporting every change of circumstances promptly (the liability above);
Telling the DWP if you want to stop, if the claimant can manage again, or if your own circumstances change so you can no longer act.

Practical tips from people who’ve done it: keep the benefit money in a separate account where you can (many banks offer basic accounts for exactly this), keep receipts for larger spending, and loop in other family early so nobody wonders where the money goes. You don’t submit accounts to anyone routinely — unlike a deputy — but the DWP can review the arrangement at any time, and can revoke it if it isn’t working in the claimant’s interests.

Their money — never yoursBenefit money received as an appointee belongs to the claimant. Spending it on anything other than their needs and best interests — even “borrowing” from it, even within a family — is treated as benefit fraud and can be prosecuted. If you’re caring unpaid for the person 35+ hours a week, the right way to be recognised for that is your own claim — see Carer’s Allowance — never their benefit money.

Scotland, Northern Ireland & HMRC

Appointeeship is agency-by-agency, not one badge for everything. Social Security Scotland runs its own appointee process under Scots law for the benefits it delivers (Adult Disability Payment, Child Disability Payment, Carer Support Payment) — a DWP appointment doesn’t normally carry across, so contact Social Security Scotland on 0800 182 2222 separately; helpfully, the DWP will generally accept an existing Social Security Scotland or Northern Ireland (Department for Communities) authority without a fresh application its way. HMRC has its own arrangement for Child Benefit — contact the Child Benefit Office. If the person gets benefits from several agencies, it’s usually simplest for the same person to be recognised by each of them.

Becoming an appointee, step by step

Check the map first. Still has capacity? Make the LPA now instead — it covers everything. Capacity gone and only benefits to manage? Appointeeship is your route. Capacity gone with savings/property too? Deputyship, with appointeeship alongside.
Phone the benefit’s own line (number on any recent letter) and ask to apply to become the appointee. Have both people’s full names, dates of birth, addresses and National Insurance numbers ready.
Do the visiting-officer interview and complete form BF56 with them. Honest and practical beats polished — they want to see you know the person’s life.
Wait for BF57 before acting — that’s the confirmation. Then update where payments go, and set up a simple record system on day one.
While you’re there, check they’re getting everything. People who need an appointee are exactly the people missing Attendance Allowance, Pension Credit and a care needs assessment — run our benefits check for them.

Do this now

One phone call starts it: (1) find any recent letter about the person’s main benefit and ring the number on it; (2) say the person can’t manage their own claims and you want to apply to become their appointee; (3) have both people’s names, dates of birth, addresses and National Insurance numbers ready, and mention any diagnosis. The DWP takes it from there — interview, form BF56, then BF57 in the post. It costs nothing.

Confusing DWP letter in the meantime? Put it through Decode. This is general information, not legal advice — for free help with the application and everything around it, call Age UK on 0800 678 1602 or your local Citizens Advice (0800 144 8848).

Related guides — caring & capacity

Lasting Power of Attorney Carer’s Allowance Attendance Allowance Care needs assessment Benefit overpayments

Source verification Primary source: GOV.UK — Become an appointee for someone claiming benefits, cross-checked against the DWP’s internal Appointees, Personal Acting Bodies and Corporate Acting Bodies guidance (deposited in Parliament), MoneySavingExpert’s appointee guide, and carer-sector guidance (Carers First, Mencap, Hft). Last verified 3 July 2026 — an appointee manages benefits only for a claimant who cannot manage their own affairs (mental incapacity, or severe disability preventing management); apply by contacting the office that deals with the benefit; the DWP then usually arranges a visiting-officer interview (normally seeing both parties) at which form BF56 is completed, with form BF57 confirming the appointment — you are not the appointee until BF57 is issued; no fee; appointee = an individual aged 18+ or an organisation (council, solicitor, care provider — a corporate appointee); only one appointee per claimant; the appointee signs claims, reports changes, spends the money in the claimant’s best interests, and can resign at any time; the DWP can revoke the appointment. Liability: per GOV.UK and the DWP overpayment-recovery guide, overpayments caused by the appointee’s failure to report a change (or misrepresentation) can be recovered from the appointee. LPA interaction stated with medium confidence: where a registered property-and-financial-affairs LPA or deputyship exists, a separate appointeeship is not usually needed and the DWP can deal with the attorney/deputy — but practice varies by office and some attorneys are still asked to take on appointeeship for benefits, so we advise confirming with the benefit office (sector guidance: Mencap, MoneySavingExpert, money-management providers). Devolved: Social Security Scotland runs its own appointee process under Scots law (a DWP appointment does not normally carry across; SSS client-representative guidelines), while GOV.UK confirms the DWP accepts an existing Social Security Scotland or NI Department for Communities authority without a separate DWP application; HMRC (Child Benefit) has its own arrangement — both stated qualitatively. Confidence: High on the core DWP process, forms and responsibilities (GOV.UK + DWP guidance); medium on office-by-office LPA practice, by design. Scope: Great Britain (NI via nidirect; Scotland for devolved benefits via Social Security Scotland). Not legal advice — free help from Citizens Advice and Age UK.

DWP appointee — common questions

What’s the difference between an appointee and a Power of Attorney?

An appointee covers benefits only and is granted by the DWP — and it can be set up after the person has lost capacity. A property-and-financial-affairs LPA covers all their finances (bank accounts, savings, property) but must be made while they still have capacity. If capacity has already gone and more than benefits needs managing, the route is a Court of Protection deputyship. Many families only ever need the free appointeeship — it depends what there is to manage.

How long does it take to become an appointee?

There’s no fixed statutory timescale: after your first call the DWP arranges the visiting-officer interview, form BF56 is completed there, and BF57 confirming the appointment follows if approved — typically a matter of weeks from first contact, depending on visit availability in your area. If the person is losing money in the meantime (an unclaimed benefit, an unanswered review), say so on the first call and ask for it to be noted.

Can two of us share being appointee for our mum?

No — the DWP appoints one person or organisation per claimant. Pick whoever is closest to the day-to-day reality (they’ll get every letter and phone call), and keep the rest of the family in the loop informally. If nobody in the family can realistically act, a council or a specialist organisation can be the corporate appointee instead.

Do I have to keep accounts as an appointee?

There’s no routine account-filing duty (unlike a Court of Protection deputy, who reports annually). But the DWP can review the arrangement at any time, and you’re personally exposed if changes go unreported — so keep it simple and safe: benefit money in a separate account where possible, receipts for bigger spending, and a note of what came in and what it paid for. Ten minutes a month is plenty.

How do I stop being an appointee?

Contact the DWP office that pays the benefit and say you no longer wish to act — you can stop at any time. The appointment also ends if the claimant becomes able to manage their own claims again, or if the DWP revokes it. If you’re stepping back, tell the DWP who else might act (family member, the council) so the claimant isn’t left with nobody — their benefits shouldn’t lapse in the handover.

Sources: Appointee process, forms & responsibilities · GOV.UK — Become an appointee for someone claiming benefits · DWP — Benefit overpayment recovery guide · MoneySavingExpert — managing someone’s benefits as an appointee · mygov.scot — acting on behalf of someone applying for benefits. SortedUK is not a law firm and this is general information, not legal advice. Free help: Age UK 0800 678 1602 · Citizens Advice 0800 144 8848. Last reviewed: 3 July 2026.

Becoming a DWP appointee — managing benefits for someone who can’t