Lasting Power of Attorney: Decisions Made by Someone You Trust
A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) allows you to appoint someone you trust to make decisions for you if you lose the ability to make them yourself, or, for certain financial matters, if you simply need help managing your affairs.
Putting an LPA in place gives you peace of mind that your wishes can still be followed if your circumstances change.
Without a registered Lasting Power of Attorney, your loved ones may have limited or no legal authority to make important decisions on your behalf and may, in some circumstances, need to apply to the Court of Protection.
Anyone can become temporarily or permanently unable to make decisions at any stage of life. In many ways, an LPA can be just as important as making a Will, as it protects you during your lifetime.
We will guide you through the Lasting Power of Attorney process with clarity and care, taking the time to understand your wishes and ensure your LPA is prepared correctly and reflects your individual circumstances.
We can also help you include specific preferences and instructions, so your Attorneys understand how you would like decisions to be made.
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Types of Lasting Power of Attorney
Property & Financial Affairs LPA
This type of LPA allows your Attorney to manage your financial affairs, including:
- Bank and building society accounts.
- Paying bills, taxes and everyday expenses.
- Property and investments.
- Pensions and benefits.
- Buying or selling property, if required.
With your permission, this LPA can be used while you still have mental capacity if you would find assistance helpful, for example if you are abroad, in hospital or unable to deal with your finances yourself. It will also continue to apply if you later lose mental capacity.
Health & Welfare LPA
A Health & Welfare LPA allows your Attorney to make decisions about your care and wellbeing, but only if you lose the mental capacity to make those decisions yourself.
This can include decisions about:
- Medical treatment.
- Care and support arrangements.
- Where you live.
- Your day-to-day welfare and personal care.
Once an LPA is in effect, your Attorney may also make day-to-day welfare decisions, such as those relating to meals, clothing and daily routines, where appropriate.
Life Sustaining Treatment Decisions
When creating your Health & Welfare LPA, you can decide whether your Attorney should be able to make decisions about life-sustaining treatment if you’re unable to make them yourself.
This can include treatments such as resuscitation or artificial ventilation. It’s a deeply personal choice, but making your wishes clear in advance can give you and your loved ones peace of mind, and help take some of the uncertainty and difficult decision-making away from them at an already challenging time.
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We can guide you through the process of creating a Lasting Power of Attorney and we will:
- Explain the different types of LPA and help you decide which you need.
- Advise you on choosing suitable Attorneys.
- Ensure your documents accurately reflect your wishes.
- Help you include any preferences/instructions for your Attorneys to follow.
- Register your LPA with the Office of the Public Guardian.
- Advise on updating/replacing an existing LPA if circumstances change.
We are also experts in Wills, Estate Planning & Trust and Probate.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Your Attorney should be someone you trust to act in your best interests. You can appoint more than one Attorney and decide whether they act together or independently.
The best time to make an LPA is while you are fit and well. You must have mental capacity to create an LPA, so it’s sensible to put one in place before it becomes necessary.
Yes. As long as you still have mental capacity, you can revoke an existing LPA and create a new one if your circumstances or wishes change.
