Lasting Power of Attorney (England and Wales)
In our ideal world everyone would have their lasting power of attorney in place, nominating the people they trust to look after their affairs in the event that they lost capacity. They are like an insurance policy – one you hope you never need but you know its there if you need it.
Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs) in England & Wales have to be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian before they can be used, and this process takes between 10-16 weeks at the present time. We always recommend that registration takes place as soon as the documents are prepared so that there is no delay if you need them unexpectedly.
Preparing your LPAs enables you to appoint the people you trust the most to make decisions for you. There are two types of LPA: one covering financial and property related decisions, and the other dealing with health and welfare issues. We will guide you through the process, helping you to understand the implications of appointing an attorney, preparing the necessary documents and dealing with their official registration.
If you are in business we also recommend you consider an LPA for business affairs, particularly if you are the sole director of a company.
Your choice of attorney(s) is important. They have to be someone you know you can trust completely in managing your affairs and making choices on your behalf. This means thinking carefully about who you nominate, and sometimes involves difficult decisions about family members. Attorneys do not have to be the same people for finance, health and business LPAs.
For more information or to find out how we can help, please get in touch.