What is an LPA
It is a legal way of allowing you to plan in advance, who would manage your affairs if you were unable to do so yourself. It can be used on a temporary basis. If for instance, you were in hospital or away on holiday your attorney could act for you. An LPA can also be used when you lack mental capacity to act for yourself.
You can appoint up to 4 attorneys and also decide whether they act together or independently. The law states that your attorneys must always act in your best interest.
Before it can be used, the LPA must be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian.
There are two types of LPA
The Financial and Property LPA
This type of LPA allows you to plan in advance who would manage your money and other assets if you were unable to do so yourself. The LPA can be used even when you still have capacity. So it’s a very useful deed as it allows you to nominate someone to help out at any stage in your life.
Your attorneys can use it to manage your bank and savings accounts and to buy and sell your home. Your attorneys can collect pensions and benefits for you as well as paying your bills.
The Health and Welfare LPA
This type of LPA can only be used when you lose mental capacity to act for yourself.
The view is taken that you should make important and personal decisions for yourself while you still have the capacity to do so.
Your attorneys can have the power to make decisions about your daily routine (washing, dressing, diet etc), medical care, moving into a care home and your quality of life in the care home. This type of LPA can also allow you to have your attorneys make decisions about life-sustaining medical treatments.
Creating an LPA
I can create an LPA for you with the minimum of fuss. Get in touch with me using the Contact Gerry option to find out easy it can be. You will be pleasantly surprised to find out how competitive my charges are and how little you have to do to create an LPA.