SOLICITORS FOR LASTING POWERS OF ATTORNEY

There are two separate types of lasting power of attorney. You can choose to make one or both, depending on your circumstances and needs.

• Health and welfare: this covers decisions such as where you live and your medical care.
• Property and financial affairs: this covers decisions such as buying and selling property, opening and closing bank accounts, investing assets and paying bills.

You might be looking for advice on preparing an LPA for yourself or looking for advice on behalf of a relative or friend. In any event, an LPA is a serious and consequential legal document, so it’s important to seek the help of a solicitor in preparing one. This is even more important if your assets are complicated, or if there are any family conflicts, for example.

The sooner you create an LPA the better. That way, your wishes and decisions are in place should anything unexpected happen. However, if you lose capacity and have not made an LPA, then it is still possible for someone to be appointed to act on your behalf. This would be done by making an application to the Court of Protection for the appointment of a deputy, which may not be someone of your choosing.

The first step is to securing peace of mind for your financial and medical future is to arrange a friendly, informal meeting with us. At this meeting, we can explain to you all the issues, discuss your needs and assist in completing the forms. We suggest you allow approximately 1 hour for this appointment. If you’re not able to travel to us, we may arrange home or hospital visits.