Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA's)

There are two parts to an LPA. One is in respect of Health and Welfare and the other is for Property and Financial matters. To do the job properly you need both parts and they should be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) as soon as they are signed because neither part can be used until it is registered. With the consent of the Donor, the Property and Financial part can then be used straight away. However, the Health and Welfare part can only be used after mental capacity has been lost. Don't leave it too late.

Without an LPA you are at the (expensive) mercy of the Court of Protection (COP). This is not a route that you will enjoy so as with many things in life, prevention and planning is better than cure.

The LPA is such a useful and powerful document because it allows you (the Donor) to appoint your chosen Attorneys - don't settle for one, always have at least one more in reserve - to look after you and your affairs if it becomes necessary. You can add instructions and preferences to personalise the documents if you wish. The authority lasts for the rest of your life and when you die the Executors of your Will take over, quite possibly the same person / people.

if you want to download the forms yourself you will find them at Lasting power of attorney forms - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Watch out for the guide book (LP12) as it is 66 pages in length but obviously contains a lot of important information.

To complete the forms online before printing them for signing go to Make a lasting power of attorney - GOV.UK and open a free account. You can save partially completed forms and finish them later.

If the forms do not appeal to you then please contact us and we can complete and submit them for you. The Office of the Public Guardian is currently taking approximately 20 weeks to process new applications before they can be used.