Jeremy Vine Recommends: Lasting Powers Of Attorney
A Lasting Power of Attorney document is often associated with ageing, but it is a vital part of Lifetime Planning for all life’s stages. If you lose capacity at any age, having granted Lasting Powers of Attorney to a trusted family member or friend gives them the ability to make decisions on your behalf for your wellbeing, health and finances.
Without an LPA, even your spouse is not eligible to make these decisions: your next of kin has no automatic legal right to manage your finances or make health decisions if you become incapacitated.
What Is An LPA?
As featured on the Jeremy Vine Show recently, appointing an Attorney gives that person the right to manage your affairs if you become unable to do so.
There are two distinct types of LPA: one for Property and Financial Affairs, another for Health and Welfare. The same person can manage both, but because these are separate legal areas, two separate Lasting Powers of Attorney documents would be needed.
How Could This Help Me?
No one likes to think about a situation in which they might lose capacity. With forward planning, particularly after a diagnosis of an illness such as dementia, your wellbeing can remain safeguarded and your affairs managed by someone who has your best interests at heart.
Appointing an attorney for Property and Financial Affairs means someone can manage your bank accounts, pay your bills, and maintain your property if you can no longer do so. For Health and Welfare, an attorney can make decisions for your medical care, treatment, and support your everyday health.
By choosing someone you trust to make these decisions for you, it avoids any complications with bank accounts being frozen, or doctors having to make medical decisions on your behalf. It also avoids having to go via the Court of Protection in which a loved one can apply to become your Deputy, appointed by the Court, which can take several months and be far more expensive.
How Do I Choose An Attorney?
At JCP Solicitors, our friendly and knowledgeable Lasting Powers of Attorney team can help you. We can discuss how best to plan for your future needs, running through all the options available to you in a transparent and informative way to help you make the best choice. We can help you consider who would be the best person to represent your welfare and finances, and can help facilitate discussions between you and your potential Attorney(s) to make sure they are the right choice.
Each LPA should be tailored to your individual needs, with instructions to your Attorney about how you would like to be cared for in future. We can draft an LPA which is bespoke to you and guide you through the registration process to manage all legal formalities.
For expert legal advice and guidance, JCP can help. Contact our Lasting Powers of Attorney team by calling 03333 208644 or email hello@jcpsolicitors.co.uk