In an ever increasingly digital era, many care providers are moving away from cash to embrace online banking. Without using Cleva, this often requires carers using client cards to run errands and buy shopping. As a result, this creates confusion around the legalities concerning this use of personal bank cards. Without cash, carers may also be required to make payments using their own bank cards. Undeniably, this creates difficult situations in regards to compensation and receipt tracking.
Carers using client cards for groceries: is it illegal?
Without express permission from the card holder, it is illegal to make any in-store purchase with someone else’s bank card. This includes carers using client cards on their behalf, for errands such as groceries or medication purchases. This may sound like an easy situation to overcome, but we see many problems that frequently arise:
- The person in care doesn’t have access to their own money
- The person in care doesn’t have the capacity to give permission
- False accusations of fraud or theft
- Loss of bank cards whilst running errands
- The person in care forgets that they have given permission
- Loss of receipts during duties
- Accidentally using the wrong customers bank card
- Using cash instead is difficult to track and easy to steal
The solution? One payment card for infinite clients, using Cleva!
The digital era doesn’t have to leave the care service behind! Cleva is a payment solution made with carers in mind. Access every client’s digital ‘wallet’ across your organisation, with just one Cleva card.
How does a Cleva card legally cover carers?
Cleva is not a debit or credit card. Instead, it is a prepaid card loaded by the care provider. Each client has their own online ‘wallet’, and the carer, or client with capacity can only spend from the funds in the wallet, meaning no debt or arrears. In this contractual agreement, the loading of each clients’ money is pre-agreed on their behalf.
Due to Cleva’s prepaid agreement; carers are able to pay for items on behalf of their clients legally. As a result, there are no false accusations or missing money. If chosen by the organisation, carers can also upload each receipt into the Cleva app after every purchase. This further solidifies their purchase from a legal standpoint, as well as speeding up the accountancy process for care providers.
Could Cleva work for my business?
Care agencies can start using Cleva from just 10 clients on their books. It also makes for a perfect solution to increasing efficiency within the Local Authority setting. Cleva can instantly help your team with efficiency and bookkeeping, saving our clients an average of 71 minutes of admin time per client per month.
Want to find out more about our service? Discover why we are one of the fastest growing payment solutions in the UK care sector. Get in touch with our friendly team to discuss your options!
