Lasting Powers of Attorney

A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a legal document that allows you to name and appoint someone you trust (known as an “attorney”) to make decisions on your behalf and help you, if you become unable to do so yourself in the future. There are two types of LPAs:

1. Property and Financial Affairs LPA: This allows your attorney to make decisions about your money and property. For example, they can access your bank account to pay bills, claim benefits for you, deal with insurance companies, or sell property.

2. Health and Welfare LPA: This allows your attorney to make decisions about your healthcare and well-being. See this as a future care plan – what would you want if you can no longer have your say.

You must have mental capacity when creating an LPA, meaning you understand what you’re signing and the consequences. Once the document is signed, it needs to be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian. If you do not have mental capacity then you would require a deputyship, which is far more expensive and time consuming as well as being less flexible.

Here are a few points to consider when thinking about your LPA:

• Choosing your attorney: You can choose anyone you trust, but it’s important to think carefully. They could be a family member or friend. they can not be bankrupt when appointing an attorney for the Property and Financial affairs LPA.

• Protection: Your attorney must act in your best interest and follow the guidelines set out in the LPA to ensure you are looked after. We can help you put the guidelines in that you really want.

• Activation: Do you want it to be activated immediately or only when you can not make decisions? For Health and Welfare it is always when you can not make decisions.

Call us on 01777 712 733 to start your LPA’s today