Lasting Powers of Attorney
Our Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA) service provides clients with the assurance that their wishes and We will ensure that the process is carried out smoothly and efficiently, providing a service tailored to each individual's needs.
What is mental capacity?
Mental capacity means the ability to make or communicate specific decisions at the time they need to be made. To have mental capacity you must understand the decision you need to make, why you need to make it, and the likely outcome of your decision.
None of us want to believe that we might lose our mental capacity or how we would cope with our financial affairs if we do.
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By establishing Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA) for Property & Financial affairs and our Health & Welfare, it gives someone you trust the legal authority to make decisions on your behalf should you lose the mental capacity to do so.
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Setting up an LPA while you are still mentally capable is important, well before you need it. If you become mentally incapacitated later in life and don't have LPAs in place, your relatives can face long, distressing delays and expense in applying to the court to take control. And don't assume that because you have set up an LPA, you have lost control. You can choose whether it can be used before or only when you lose mental capacity.
There are two types of LPA: 'Property and Financial Affairs' and 'Health and Welfare'.
Property and Financial Affairs Lasting Power of Attorney
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A Property and Financial Affairs LPA allows you to choose one or more persons to make decisions about your money or property on your behalf. This includes fulfilling important tasks such as paying bills, writing cheques, transferring money, receiving salaries, arranging for the upkeep of your property or even selling it, if necessary.
Health and Welfare Lasting Power of Attorney
A Health and Welfare LPA allows you to appoint one or more persons to make decisions regarding your medical care, moving into a care home, your daily routine (for example, eating and what to wear) and refusing life-sustaining treatment. Unlike the Property and Financial Affairs LPA it can only be used once you have lost the ability to make your own decisions.