Lasting powers of attorney
Although you may be healthy now, it is wise to plan for when you may not be able to, or may not want to, make certain decisions for yourself.
A lasting power of attorney (LPA) is a legal document that lets you appoint one or more people (known as ‘attorneys’) to help you make decisions or to make decisions on your behalf. We can advise you on LPAs and help you make one.
What types of lasting powers of attorney are there?
There are two types of LPA:
- health and welfare
- property and financial affairs
You can choose to make one type or both.
A health and welfare LPA enables your attorney to make decisions about things like where you live, your medical care, and your social activities. It can only be used once you have lost mental capacity.
A financial LPA enables your attorney to act on your behalf to buy and sell property, make payments and invest your money. You can choose whether it can be used if you still have mental capacity, or only once you have lost capacity.
Do I need a lasting power of attorney?
A LPA will give you more control over what happens to you if you have an accident or an illness and cannot make your own decisions.
You never know when you might need a LPA, although as you get older you should consider it more seriously. Being prepared can make dealing with your affairs much easier for your loved ones and ensure you are well cared for. It is easy to revise an LPA if your circumstances change.
Do I need a solicitor to make a lasting power of attorney?
You can make a lasting power of attorney without a solicitor, but there are three main advantages of using a solicitor:
- We can talk through what you want to achieve in an understandable way and advise you on your options.
- Many LPA applications are rejected by the Office of the Public Guardian each year because the application has not been prepared properly. We can prepare the documents for you so that you can be confident that they reflect your wishes and reduce the risk the application will be rejected.
- We can remove the time and stress of working out what forms you need to complete, what everything means and where you need to send the documents.
How much does it cost?
We will charge the following fixed fees, so that you can know what it is going to cost from the outset:
- £420 + VAT, for drafting one LPA, including acting as certificate provider.
In addition to our fees, the Office of the Public Guardian charge a registration fee of £82.00 per Power of Attorney, although if you are on a low income you may qualify for a reduction in the fee.
