A guide to Trusts

A Trust keeps your money or important things, such as a house or jewellery, safe for the future. 

A Trust lets people help you to look after your money and your important things. 

• family or carers (who will set up the Trust)
• Trustees (people who look after the Trust)
• a legal expert (who might set up the Trust or give you advice).

A Trust can pay for lots of things! You can use the money in a Trust to pay for things like:  

• holidays
• hobbies
• clothes
• special equipment
• living expenses .

A Trust can not pay for anything that would be dangerous to you. 

A Trust can not pay for something if the trustee thinks it is not right for you. 

You will need to speak to your carer or the Trustees who manage the Trust and tell them what you would like to spend the money on.  

They will decide if you can have the money.

Here are some words you might hear when people talk about a Trust: 

• Trust – a safe place to keep your money or important things
• Trustee – someone who looks after the Trust and decides what to do with the money and things in it
• beneficiary – the person the Trust is for
• Will – a legal document that gives instructions and lets you choose who gets your money and the things you own after you die
• Executor – the person who makes sure the instructions in the Will happen properly
• inheritance – money or things that someone gives you when they die
• means-tested benefits –  money from the government to help people pay for things like personal care, housing, and getting out and about.  For example, UC (Universal Credit).  You have to apply for benefits as the government only gives the benefit money to people who meet certain standards or conditions.