Lasting Power of Attorney

Have you considered what could happen if you became incapable of making decisions for yourself because of illness such as stroke, an accident causing a coma or old age and alzheimers? If you have not created a Lasting Power of Attorney then your Family will have to apply to the Court of Protection to be able to make decisions on your behalf. This can be very expensive as well as demanding and stressful for family, friends or carers.
A Lasting Power of Attorney is a powerful legal document allowing the people you want to manage your affairs as “an attorney” to make decisions on your behalf. They can make decisions for you when you no longer wish to or when you lack the mental capacity to do so.

There are two types of Lasting Power of Attorney

Property and Financial Affairs Lasting Power of Attorney

If ever you lost mental capacity, your bank accounts could be frozen, any investments could not be managed and your property could not be sold.
With a Property and Financial Affairs Lasting Power of Attorney you can legally choose one or more people to make decisions for you regarding your property and financial affairs. Once your Lasting Power of Attorney has been registered with the Office of the Public Guardian, your attorney(s) can make decisions for you if you have lost capacity or even when you still have capacity.
For example,
Due to infirmity it may be easier for you to give your attorney the power to carry out day-to-day tasks such as paying your bills. This could be because:

  • You may struggle to walk or travel certain distances
  • You may find it hard to talk on the telephone
  • You could be out of the country for a long period of time

With your registered Property and Financial Affairs Lasting Power of Attorney, your attorney(s) can make decisions about

  • Paying your bills
  • Collecting your benefits
  • Selling your house

Will Makers of Sheffield Ltd. will help you make one of the most important documents you will ever need.

Health and Welfare Lasting Power of Attorney

If ever you lost mental capacity you would loose the ability to make decisions about your own health and welfare. With a Health and Welfare Lasting Power of Attorney you can legally choose one or more people to make decisions for you regarding your health and welfare.
Once your Lasting Power of Attorney has been registered with the Office of the Public Guardian, your attorney(s) can make decisions for you if you have lost capacity about any or all of your Health and Welfare matters.
For example,

  • Medical treatment
  • Accepting or refusing types of healthcare
  • Whether to move into residential care or continue living in your own home

You can also give your attorney(s) power to make decisions about “life sustaining treatment” for you.

You may want to give your attorney’s power to make day-to-day decisions such as:

  • Your diet
  • What clothes you wear
  • Your daily routine, such as going shopping

If you would like any more information on the benefit of making a Lasting Power of Attorney please contact us at Will Makers of Sheffield Ltd.