Journalist Sue Mitchell returns with a new BBC Radio 4 podcast series that shines a light on what happens when power of attorney goes horribly wrong.
In Hertfordshire towns, people who live alone are disappearing and their neighbours are wondering why they’ve not seen them, or if they might have died.
Giving someone else control of your finances and decisions – through Lasting Power of Attorney – is meant to come with a guarantee that they always act in your best interest. But that doesn’t always happen.
Sue Mitchell and team are investigating in this new seven-part podcast series: Shadow World: The Willpower Detective.
The story begins with the concerned friends and relatives who want to know what has happened to their neighbour or loved one. Where have they gone? And why has their home been emptied and sold?
An apparently widespread practice is exposed, where vulnerable people are moved out of their homes and left with no idea what is happening to their money or belongings.
It often involves people with little or no family asking questions about where they are moved to, or to challenge the fees involved. People who’ve accumulated wealth over a lifetime, whose assets are now paying the fees of those who are taking decisions for them.
The series looks at the loopholes that allow these things to happen – and the relationship between care homes, social workers and one particular business taking on a huge number of powers of attorney.
This is an original investigation, with recordings in real time, where Sue treads the streets of British towns – often enlisting neighbours of those who have got caught up in this world – neighbours who turn detective to help expose how power of attorney orders can be misused.
Daniel Clarke, Factual Commissioning Editor for Radio 4 says: “Sue and team have established themselves as an extraordinary force when it comes to serious, traditional, shoe-leather investigative journalism – recorded in real time, and bringing us up-close to powerful and important stories as they unfold.
“This is a remarkable series that shines a light on a set of people whose vulnerabilities leave them exposed to the misuse of their finances and belongings. And who very rarely get the attention that they deserve.”
Sue Mitchell says: “As I’ve been out recording, I’ve met so many friends, relatives and neighbours of those who are vulnerable – they’re trying hard to keep an eye out for each other and often they sense when things aren’t right.
“Highlighting their experiences will help others and is bringing change for some of those taking part. We all know someone who could be in need of power of attorney one day – or we may need it ourselves – hopefully this story will resonate far and wide.”
Episodes 1-6 launch today, Monday 9 December on BBC Sounds and episode 7 will be available from 6am tomorrow. The series will also run weekly on Radio 4 at 2.45pm starting today.
