Forgotten Pin Number

[foxyferret]

My mum is 95 and just recently has forgotten her pin. She is with Lloyd’s Bank so I checked online and they will send another one. Now the problem is that mum is housebound and could not possibly get to a cash machine (this is what you have to do) to activate a new PIN number. She is not on the internet and likes to receive her statements through the post. I do not have power of attorney but intend to call the bank tomorrow to see what they suggest in general terms. I thought about setting up an online account for her but then everything would come through me and neither of us would want that. Any ideas meanwhile? Thanks

[Gromit]

If she can’t get to a cash machine, and does not do internet banking, why does she need a card and PIN ?

[Jackdaw33]

When the new PIN arrives you take it to a cashpoint and activate it on her behalf.

[Mamyalynne]

If Mum does need a PIN to use with her card then I agree with Jack - you activate it.

[fiction-factory]

The implication here is that foxyferret or someone else uses the card for mum, since a PIN number is not needed by Mum if she doesn't go to shops or cash machines.
Maybe POA is needed or some sort of letter of authority for you to use her card

[Jackdaw33]

BTW, you only activate new cards, not new PINs. You can do this over the phone via a special number with comes with the card. If she is only getting a new PIN and not a new card she doesn't have to do anything.

[calmck]

To activate my new pin I had to call the bank

[woofgang]

If you have no POA, I don't think the bank will suggest anything helpful as, forgive me, you might be a con artist. Do you visit her? You could set her up for internet banking on your net connection if she would allow it. She would never need to use it and then she could then order a replacement card AND pin that can be activated on the online account.

[Jackdaw33]

My cleaner/shopper uses my card all the time. No authority needed with chip and PIN.

[foxyferret]

She needs her card and pin because someone is collecting her pension for her from the post office. This is the postman who she has known and trusted for more than 30 years. I suppose she could ask him but I know she would think that was a bit too much. I cannot activate a new pin because I am miles away and only visit when she says she is up to it. She is very frail and at 95 gets a bit anxious/upset even with family visiting

[ubasses]

If your Mum just wants you to do her basic banking, ask them to send her a Third party Mandate for completion. This will allow you to operate her Bank account but fall short of a POA which gives access to all her financial affairs.
If the debit card is safe and only forgotten PIN, they should not send out a new one, but a reminder of the existing number.

[Jackdaw33]

I don't know who you bank with calmck but I have never had to activate a PIN. It is activated automatically first time you use it in a shop or ATM.

[barry1010]

If the postman uses her card and PIN to collect her pension it will only take him a second to activate the new PIN.
Does he remember her old PIN, by the way? Too late now, in any case.

[Jackdaw33]

As has been said, if she has only forgotten the PIN they will send a reminder of the old one, not a new one. This will not need activating.

[foxyferret]

On the Lloyd’s website it explains that you have to activate it at a cash machine.

[ummmm]

Not sure if it's still the case but chip and pin (Nationwide) had to be activated by inserting the card into the machine and entering the pin. It became contactless after that.

[Jackdaw33]

That is for card activation, not PIN activation.

[Jackdaw33]

Ummm is correct but that is only to activate the contactless feature. You don't have to go to an ATM, you can do it in any shop which has chip and PIN.

[Prudie]

It's always nice to be helpful but I can't follow what the problem originally was. If it's only the postman who uses her pin what difference does it make if she can't remember it? Further if he's such a trusted friend why on earth couldn't she ask him? Someone presumably is now going to have to tell him it's changed once this is sorted? This is of course all separate to you maybe being able to mange her account for her.

[foxyferret]

Thanks for all your help and suggestions everyone. I will phone the bank in the morning or get her to and ask if they could just send her a reminder of her pin. If not, it looks like we shall have to go back to the trusty postman.

[Jackdaw33]

If she has asked for a new PIN the old one will no longer work.