Supporting someone else

Managing someone else’s account

If the person you want to support has the mental capacity to make their own decisions, they will need to set up your access to their account. 

They can do this by linking accounts with you or setting up a power of attorney. 

If the person you want to support has lost their mental capacity, and they do not already have a power of attorney in place, you will need to apply to be their deputy. 

If your application hasn’t been approved yet, you can also get an urgent or emergency interim order. 

Let us know about your deputyship by sending us a certified copy of the Order you receive from the Court of Protection. 

Letting someone else manage your account

There are two ways you can let someone else manage your account. 

• Linked accounts – an easy way to let someone else view your account and carry out some transactions for you. 
• Power of attorney – this will formally give someone else complete access to your account. 

Linked accounts

When you link accounts with another HL account holder, they can see the same information as you do when you log in. 

There are two options. 'View only access' means they’ll be able to see the same information and use some of the same functions as you do, such as sending secure messages. 'Trade access' allows them to place deals on your behalf as well. 

You’ll still need to log in yourself for some things, including adding cash, requesting withdrawals, or amending your personal details. 

Please do not share your login details with anyone. Accounts should only be linked to trusted people like family members. 

Power of Attorney (POA)

If you want to be prepared for a situation where you have an accident, illness or you cannot make your own decisions, consider a power of attorney (POA). A POA is a legal document which gives one or more people the power to make decisions and manage: 

• your money or property 
• your health and welfare (This option is not available in Northern Ireland) 

If you’re aged 18 or over, you can set one up at any time, as long as you’re able to make decisions yourself. 

Types of power of attorney 

There are two types of power of attorney – ongoing or temporary. 

Ongoing power of attorney 

These have no expiry date and have different names depending on where you live in the UK. Get more information about setting up: 

• lasting power of attorney in England and Wales at gov.uk 
• continuing power of attorney in Scotland at mygov.scot 
• enduring power of attorney in Northern Ireland at nidirect.gov.uk 

Temporary power of attorney 

Useful for things like hospital visits or trips abroad when you might need help with everyday tasks like paying bills. They are called: 

• ordinary power of attorney in England and Wales 
• general power of attorney in Scotland and Northern Ireland 

If you want to set up an ordinary or general power of attorney, you should contact your local Citizen’s Advice or get advice from a solicitor. 

Choosing an attorney 

• Do they have a good knowledge of savings and investments? 
• Are they confident making decisions about saving and investing? 

You could also consider speaking to one of our advisers. They can provide an impartial opinion and recommend investments that would be suitable for your circumstances. They can work alongside you, or your attorney, and take on some of the responsibility. Learn more about financial advice at HL. 

Registering a power of attorney with HL 

Lasting powers of attorney set up in England or Wales

1. Create your account at gov.uk. 
2. When you are registered, you’ll receive a secure code. 
3. Email this code to us at client.recordssupport1@hl.co.uk. 
4. If you have any specific preferences or instructions on your POA, we cannot see these with just your secure code. Please attach a photo, photocopy, or screenshot of your POA so we can see your preferences. This image does not need to be certified or original. 
5. We'll update your account and contact you via your preferred method to confirm everything. 

All other types of power of attorney and Orders of the Court of Protection
Send the original or a certified copy of your document to: 

Hargreaves Lansdown 
1 College Square South 
Anchor Road 
Bristol 
BS1 5HL 

How to certify a copy 

You can certify copies of your own power of attorney or you can use a solicitor or notary. Orders of the Court of Protection will need to be signed by a solicitor or notary. You can find a list of people who can certify documents on gov.uk. To make sure your registration goes smoothly, your documents need to be certified correctly. 

1. Every page other than the last page should have this text written in pen at the bottom: “I certify this is a true and complete copy of the corresponding page of the original lasting power of attorney.” 
2. The last page must say “I certify this is a true and complete copy of the lasting power of attorney.” 
3. The person certifying the document should sign it on every page. 
4. The full name and contact details of the person certifying the document must be written clearly on either the first or last page. We may need to contact them so it will slow down your registration if we do not have this information. 
5. The date the document was certified must also be written on every page. 

How to tell us about your needs

Complete our form online 

Log in to your account to complete our two-page form.  
 
Page one will allow you to select your support options. Page two will ask you to tell us more about your personal circumstances.

Call our helpdesk

If you do not have an online account or prefer to talk to someone directly, call our Helpdesk.

What to expect when you tell us about your needs

• The information you give us will go to our specialist team. They'll use it to look at the ways we can support you. 
• We'll add your notes to our records, so you won't need to tell us again. 
• You can ask us to update or remove this information at any time. 
• The information is kept on your client record and is confidential. It cannot be seen by anyone other than approved HL staff. 
• We won't usually need to, but if you complete the form online and we have questions about your circumstances or believe we might be able to offer you more support, our specialist team may contact you. If you’d rather we did not contact you, call us at a time that suits you to speak to us directly. 

Organisations that can offer support

If you’re caring for someone else, their local council may be able to help you care more effectively. You can find their local council on the gov.uk website. 

NHS social care and support guide 
This website explains your options if you or someone you know needs help with day-to-day living. 

Carers UK 
Expert advice, information and support. 

Age UK 
A UK charity that specialises in helping older people. 

MoneyHelper 
Advice for paying for the cost of care and managing money.