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What is a trustee
A trustee is a person a beneficiary trusts to act for them within set limits.
A trustee is a person a beneficiary trusts to act for them within set limits. The beneficiary chooses their trustees. A trustee is not an employee and not a stranger. A trustee is someone the beneficiary knows and relies on.
Definition
A trustee is the delegate named on a delegation record. The delegation sets the limits: the scope of records the trustee may work with, and the dates when that authority runs. The beneficiary is the subject of the delegation. The trustee holds no power on their own. Every action a trustee takes is on behalf of the beneficiary and only within the set limits.
A trustee is not the same as a support worker. A support worker is assigned through a support arrangement and provides support as their work. A trustee acts on behalf of the beneficiary as a matter of trust.
When you use it
A beneficiary uses a trustee when they want a trusted person to help manage their records. For example, a beneficiary who finds forms hard to manage may ask a family member to act for them.
You become a trustee when a beneficiary asks you. You decide whether to accept. You keep the role only while the beneficiary wants it. You can resign at any time.
A trustee can act only when two things are in place: an active delegation naming you, and the beneficiary's active consent. Consent is never implied by the delegation.
Example
Wiremu has a support plan and finds it hard to manage alone. He asks his sister Hana to be his trustee. Wiremu creates a delegation that names Hana as the delegate over the scope "support-plan", from 1 January 2026. Then Wiremu grants Hana consent to read his support plan. Hana can now help Wiremu review the plan. She cannot change anything, because the consent is read only. She cannot act on other records, because the scope covers only the support plan.