It was only in February 2018 that after a review the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) announced that having reviewed their fees, they had overcharged on the registration fee for Lasting and Enduring Powers of Attorney from 01/04/2013 to 31/03/2017 and set up a refund scheme.
Now they have announced that Deputies, who paid supervision fees to the OPG between 01/04/2008 and 31/03/2015, may be entitled to a refund of the fees and have launched an additional refund scheme.
The scheme only applies to fees paid to OPG England and Wales.
Who can apply for the refund?
If you are currently a Deputy the OPG will contact you about the refund so you do not need make an application.
However if you used to have a Deputy but now manage your own financial affairs you will need to apply for a refund. This also applies if someone who had a Deputy has died.
If the person who had a Deputy has died then the executor of their Will must claim the refund. If there was no executor, then an administrator of the estate can apply and if there was no administrator a family member can apply. Any refund needs to be divided between the beneficiaries of the estate.
So what do you have to do?
You need to apply before 04/10/2022.
The OPG application process can be accessed by www.gov.uk/deputyship-refund or, alternatively, you can call the OPG on 0300 456 0300, choosing option 6 for more details on how to apply.
How much will the refund be for?
The OPG has not said exactly how much the refund will be for.
However they do anticipate that most refunds will be for less than £200.00 and advises you may not be eligible for a refund if you have outstanding fees at the OPG.
If you need advice about acting as a Deputy or Attorney please see our webpage for more information or contact Veronica Male via: veronicamale@brethertons.co.uk and 01788 55757/ 07387 647795.
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