I’ve been trying to register a power of attorney for my father after my mother died of Covid, but Barclays won’t accept the activation code sent from the Office of the Public Guardian. It insists I provide bank statements or a bill as proof of identity, but mine are all online so I can’t.
DS, Cannock
An online activation key was launched by the Office of the Public Guardian last year to speed up power of attorney registration. The code provides instant online confirmation of the status of the attorney and was designed explicitly to remove the need for posting paper documents. It is concerning that Barclays staff were unaware of this. The bank said its staff were trained in the new system and promised a refresher course, but that paper ID was still required to comply with anti-money laundering rules. “We are sorry that our colleague wasn’t initially aware of the process and we quickly confirmed that the code could be used alongside sufficient identification,” a spokesperson said.
Email your.problems@observer.co.uk. Include an address and phone number. Submission and publication are subject to our terms and conditions
