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11th April 2025
..Financial Abuse
What does financial abuse include?
Financial abuse can happen to people anywhere and at any time and affects people from all types of backgrounds. It can happen in a person’s home, care home, day centre, hospital or in a public place.
Financial abuse can include the following;
- Theft of money or possessions.
- Fraud or scamming.
- Preventing a person from accessing their own money, benefits or assets.
- Undue pressure, threat or influence put on the person in connection with loans, wills, property, inheritance, or financial transactions.
- Arranging less care than is needed to save money to maximise inheritance.
- Denying assistance to manage/monitor financial affairs or access to benefits.
- Misuse of personal allowance in a care home.
- Misuse of benefits or direct payments in a family home.
- False representation, using another person's bank account, cards/documents.
- Exploitation of a person’s money or assets, e.g. un-authorised use of a car.
- Misuse of a power of attorney, deputy, appointeeship or other legal authority.
- Rogue trading e.g. unnecessary or overpriced property repairs and failure to carry out agreed repairs or poor workmanship.
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What are the signs of financial abuse?
Possible signs of financial abuse include the following;
- Missing money or personal possessions.
- Unexplained lack of money or increased withdrawal of funds.
- The person allocated to manage financial affairs is evasive or uncooperative.
- Family or others show unusual interest in the assets of the person.
- Sudden changes in wills, title deeds for property or financial arrangements.
- Lack of heating, clothing or food with an inability to pay bills.
- Unexplained loss or misplacement of financial documents.
- A lack of clear financial accounts held by a care home or service.
- Failure to provide receipts for shopping or other financial transactions carried out on behalf of the person.
- Disparity between the person’s living conditions and their financial resources.
Hourglass provide a confidential service to older adults, or anyone concerned that an older person is at risk of, experiencing or recovering from, any form of abuse or neglect, including financial abuse.
You can contact them via their helpline that is open 24/7 on T: 0808 808 8141. Text on: 078 6005 2906. Email: enquiries@wearehourglass.org. You can find out further information on their website about financial abuse by clicking here.
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What if I suspect financial abuse?
If you see any of the possible signs of financial abuse be professionally curious, look more closely and ask questions.
If you are concerned an adult with care and support needs is being or is at risk of being financially abused, you should report it as a Safeguarding concern to Adult Social Care:
If you have concerns about an adult in Allerdale, Carlisle or Copeland contact Cumberland Council on 0300 373 3732.
If you have concerns about an adult in Barrow, Eden or South Lakeland contact Westmorland and Furness Council on 0300 373 3301.
Out of hours for concerns about about an adult living in Cumbria: 01228 526 690.
To report your concerns to Cumbria Police; non-emergency call 101, If you have a hearing or speech impairment, use their text phone service - 18001 101 (non-emergency situations) or 18000 (emergency situations), or report online: Cumbria Police, in an emergency always call 999.
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Further Resource
Professional Curiosity - A Guide for Practitioners
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