Transferring passwords in preparation

Hello TeamTopCat 

Thanks for getting in touch. I’m sorry to hear about your Dad’s prognosis and I hope that we can provide the information and support needed.

Normally login details and passwords are unique to the individual and shouldn’t be used by anyone else.  You haven’t said if your dad’s bank accounts are held in his sole name or in joint names?  If the accounts are held in joint names your mum can access the account normally and if she chooses to register for online banking she can do so with her own unique login and password.

An alternative to this would be to consider making the account a joint account or adding your mum on under a third-party mandate.  A joint account is when the account is held in both names.  It can normally be arranged by adding a second person (your mum) to an existing single account, or alternatively by opening a new joint account.

Both would become the joint owners of the money in the account and would be able to write cheques, set up standing orders and direct debits, make payments and access funds. If either person dies, the surviving account holder would usually inherit the whole account.

The option of third-party mandate is where your Dad could arrange with his bank to accept instructions made on his behalf by your Mum.  It’s a short-term measure to access someone else’s account.  You would need to check with your Dad’s bank or building society to see if they offer third party mandate and to arrange for the forms as not all banks offer this option.

The account would still be in his name only, but your Mum would be able to make withdrawals and carry out other transactions.

If the need for access to your dad’s financial affairs extends beyond the bank accounts, you could consider Power of Attorney. But this process can take quite some time depending on what sort of Power of Attorney is being put into place. The process varies depending on where you live in the UK, we’d be happy to chat you through the process if you’d like to give us a call on the details below.

Just to clarify, the Financial Guidance Service can provide information and guidance on all aspects of your personal finances to help you make informed decisions in the following areas;

Pensions and retirement options

Questions about insurance policies

Mortgages and money management

Arranging wills and trusts to protect your family

General financial planning questions

If there is anything from the above list that you would like to discuss, please speak to us directly on the same number. To reach the Financial Guidance team just select options 1 then 2 then 1 again. Our team are available Monday to Friday 8am – 6pm. Alternatively you can also speak to us on Webchat too by clicking here

As part of our Money and Work Team, we also have a dedicated group of Welfare Rights Advisers. They can check if your parents are entitled to any state benefits and if he can help to access other financial support, such as one-off grants. You can contact them on freephone 0808 808 0000 and they’re available weekdays 8am – 8pm and weekends 9am – 5pm. If you’d prefer you can also contact them via webchat here by selecting “Chat to us” and then the “Welfare Benefits & Grants” option.

They will ask you for some financial details such as household income, amount of any savings, cost of rent/mortgage, council tax and utilities just to see if any other help is available.

Kind regards.