A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA for short) is a very useful and powerful document which you can put in place to ensure that, if you become unable (either on a permanent basis or on a temporary basis only) to manage your affairs and to make important decisions, you can choose who you want to make those decisions for you.
The people who you appoint are called “Attorneys”. There are two types of LPAs. There is one in which you can appoint your Attorneys to assist you in dealing with your property and finances and also an LPA for health and welfare matters.
If you decide to proceed with LPAs they need to be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian before they can be used but, once registration has been completed, your Attorneys can use the paper documentation, as necessary, to make decisions for you, as your Attorneys. Alternatively, the Office of the Public Guardian has now introduced an online service which makes it quicker and easier for Attorneys to deal with organisations, such as banks and building societies, without the need to personally attend at the bank or other organisation to present the paper documentation. Organisations should accept the online LPA summary without needing to see the paper version.
If it is easier for Attorneys to continue to use the paper LPA to show organisations they have permission to make property and financial affairs decisions and/or health and welfare decisions, it is necessary for the original or certified copies of the LPA to be produced.
If you would like advice or assistance in preparing LPAs or, if you have an LPA but you would like some help or direction in using them, please do not hesitate to contact us on 02920 470909.