Lasting Powers of Attorney documents provide the necessary legal framework to help you look after your parent.
Carents, doctors, and lawyers all recommend that you make sure that your parents have legally registered Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) documents in place.
These documents enable an appointed person(s) to act on their behalf and make decisions in the event that they are unable to manage their own affairs.
The two types of Lasting Powers of Attorney
There are two types of LPA :
- Health and welfare
- Property and financial affair
You can choose to make one of these or both.
Health and Welfare LPA
This LPA can only be used when you’re unable to make your own decisions. It gives some one else (a named attorney) the power to make decisions about things like:
- Your daily routine ( washing, dressing, eating)
- Your medical care
- Arrangements to move you into a care home
- Whether or not you should receive life-sustaining treatment
Property and Financial Affairs LPA
This LPA can be used as soon as it’s registered, with your permission.
It gives someone (your named attorney) the power to make decisions about money and property for you, for example:
- Managing a bank or building society account
- Paying bills
- Collecting benefits or a pension
- Selling your home
It can be incredibly useful in a number of situations – such as an extended stay in hospital – because it overcomes any difficulties accessing bank or building accounts to pay bills or get cash.
Read more about the Property and Financial Affairs LPA
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Choosing an attorney
An attorney needs to be 18 or over and have the mental capacity to make their own decisions.
They could be:
- A relative
- A friend
- A professional, eg. a solicitor
- A spouse or partner
You should consider
- How happy they will be to make decisions for you
- How well they look after their own affairs, for example their finances
- If you trust them to make decisions in your best interests
You can choose one or more people to be your attorney. If you appoint more than one, you must decide whether they can make decisions on their own or whether all the attorneys have to agree.
You should also consider appointing replacement attorneys – people who will replace your attorneys if they become unwell and cannot act on your behalf anymore.
How does the process work?
WHAT OUR CARENTS SAY
Want to know more?
Detailed guidance and online LPA forms
The Office of the Public Guardian
Access to the online service
Information for people who want to manage someone else’s affairs.
Different ways of managing someone’s affairs
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