Financial or material abuse

The unauthorised and improper use of funds, property, or any resources. This includes the use of theft, coercion, or fraud to obtain or try to obtain a person's money, possessions, or property, including cuckooing, hate crime, mate crime, online scams, fraud and romance scams and sextortion. This type of abuse applies also to Lasting Power of Attorneys (LPAs).

Non-reportable concerns

Examples of isolated incidents where no other similar concerns have been identified and that do not need to be reported as a safeguarding concern include:

• Failure by relatives to pay care charges where no impact occurs, and the person receives personal allowance or has access to other personal monies.
• Incident of missing belongings, small amount of money where there is no indication of theft/abuse.
• Money is not recorded safely or properly but immediate actions have been taken to rectify this.
• Incident where a person is not involved in a decision about how their money is spent or kept safe, and concern is addressed.
• Unwanted cold calling/doorstep visits and Trading Standards notified.

Concerns requiring consultation

More serious incidents will require internal consultation, through relevant organisational policies and procedures and senior leadership as well as potentially through the Sussex Safeguarding Adults Policy and Procedures and other organisations being made aware.

In these cases, it is important that you consider alternative or additional actions to contacting the local authority. These include:

• Share information with the local Community Safety Team/Police Community Safety Team.
• Referral to the local authority Adult Social Care department for a social care assessment, carers assessment, or review of existing arrangements.
• Share information with Trading Standards.
• Disciplinary processes.

Examples that require external consultation with the relevant Adult Social Care department, and may lead to a safeguarding concern needing to be submitted, include:

• A person’s monies kept in joint bank account with unclear arrangements for equitable sharing of interest.
• High level of visitors, telephone calls or online contact the person appears unable to say “No”.
• Falling behind on rent or mortgage payments, property maintenance costs, utility charges or care charges where there should be sufficient funds in place.
• Adult not routinely involved in decisions about how their money is spent or kept safe, and without sufficient consideration of capacity.
• Adult has no access to own funds and no evidence of items being purchased for them.
• Non-payment of client contribution or care fees putting the adult’s care at risk.
• A number of incidents where money is not recorded safely or recorded properly for one or more persons.
• Adult is in receipt of direct payments, but they are unsure how these funds are managed.

Reportable concerns

Serious incidents need to be formally raised as a safeguarding concern with the local authority Adult Social Care department. Consideration should also be given as to whether the police or other emergency services need to be contacted. Professional curiosity is important and a Think Family approach if children or other adults may be impacted.

In these cases, it is important that you consider additional actions to contacting the local authority. These include:

• RAISE SAFEGUARDING CONCERN
• If there is an indication a criminal act has occurred, the police must be consulted.
• Immediate safety plans must be implemented.

Examples of reportable concerns include:

• Any concerns about a Person in a Position of Trust.
• Misuse or misappropriation of the person’s finances, property and/or possessions.
• Personal finances or possessions removed from the person’s control without legal authority.
• Suspected fraud/exploitation relating to benefits, income, property, or legal documents.
• A person being coerced or misled into giving over money or property including cuckooing, hate or mate crime, scams, or doorstep crime.