Client Story – Andrew

Andrew was referred to The Friendly Trust after experiencing financial exploitation by both family and friends. He had been thrown out by his sister and was living with his grandmother at the time. When we first met Andrew, he was unhappy about our involvement, and his grandmother had not yet submitted the necessary paperwork to resign as his appointee.

Due to ongoing concerns, Social Services held a best interest meeting and agreed that Andrew lacked the capacity to manage his financial affairs. It was decided that The Friendly Trust should apply for Court of Protection Deputyship, which is now in place.

There were several challenges along the way — including delays with the DWP due to incorrect address records and destroyed paperwork — but we persisted. During this time, Andrew continued to face safeguarding concerns and exploitation. His grandmother, overwhelmed by the situation, moved out, and Andrew began living with his mother, who had previously been identified as a safeguarding risk.

Despite Andrew’s mixed feelings about support, we were able to:

• Become his Appointee to ensure his benefits were received and managed safely
• Begin the Deputyship application to provide long-term financial protection
• Work with his social worker and advocate to ensure his needs were being met
• Put protections in place at his bank to prevent further financial abuse
• Support him to move into semi-supported accommodation
• Help him manage spending money and make larger purchases safely
• Begin planning for positive goals, like saving for trips to see Liverpool FC

Although Andrew has often resisted support, he does recognise when he’s been taken advantage of and has started to engage more positively with our team. With the right safeguards and a consistent support network, Andrew is now on a path toward greater stability, security, and personal fulfilment.