Thinking and talking about what would happen if our faculties deserted us is uncomfortable. Yet it's important to consider how much worse the situation would be if you had a stroke, serious accident or dementia (eg, Alzheimer's) without sorting it first.

 

​If someone has difficulties that mean they can't make decisions anymore, they will need help managing their finances Along with their Health and Welfare. A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a legal document where someone (while they still have mental capacity) nominates a trusted friend or relative to look after their affairs if they lost capacity. The key point to remember...

 

​Don't think you suddenly give up control. You can choose whether it can be used either before, or only when, you lose mental capacity.

 

​Your representative should only ever make a choice for you if you're unable to make that specific decision at the time it needs to be made. For example, if you fall into a coma, your representative would start looking after your affairs. Yet if you wake from the coma, you should be able to make your own decisions again.

 

​It's worth noting LPAs replaced the previous Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA) system. EPAs set up before 1 October 2007 will still be valid, whether or not they have been registered, though they must be registered when the person loses capacity.

 

​Our friendly, professional, expert team can talk you through the benefits of drafting your LPA and help you decide which documents suit your circumstances.

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