Am I Entitled To A Refund of Deputyship Fees?

On 4 October, the Ministry of Justice announced that it will provide a refund if you are or were a Deputy and were overcharged for deputyship assessments and annual supervisions between 1 April 2008 and 31 March 2015.

If you are currently a Deputy, you will be contacted by the Office of the Public Guardian if you are entitled to a refund. The level of the refund will likely be around £200 but will depend on how much you paid in fees and at what rate, how long you paid the fees for, and whether you have any unpaid fees. The refund will also include 0.5% interest in addition to the amount that you overpaid.

You will need to make a claim for a refund to the Office of the Public Guardian if you had a deputy previously and can now make your own decisions or if you are acting on behalf of someone who had a deputy and has died. The deadline for making a claim for a refund is 4 October 2022.

To apply for the refund, you will need to complete a form online and provide the person’s name, date of birth, and address (and date of death if relevant) as well as proof of your name, address, and the right to apply for the refund, such as if you are the executor or administrator of the person’s estate if they have died. This can be submitted to DeputyshipFeeRefunds@justice.gov.uk or via post to Deputyship Fees Refunds, Office of the Public Guardian, PO Box 10796, Nottingham, NG2 9WF. Alternatively, you can call 0300 456 0300 and choose option 6.

For more information about the responsibilities and powers of a Deputy, please contact a member of the Private Client team on 01384 410410.