A big ‘thank you’ Richard from Steve and myself. Your time and attention you gave to both of us was remarkable. I’ve had dealings with many solicitors over the years, but have never received this level of service as you gave.
The ability to be able to take important decisions about our own affairs is a cornerstone of personal independence that we all rightly value enormously. It is therefore a huge decision to contemplate giving that very important task to someone else, even though that person may be a son or a daughter, or someone else whom we love and care for, and who really loves and cares for us. We mistakenly perceive it as a failing rather than just an acceptance that we need a little help from those we love.
However it is a sad fact of life that occasionally a situation does arise where we can no longer look after ourselves, either properly or sometimes at all, generally because of some sort of health problem or perhaps just because of old age, and in these unfortunate circumstances it is sometimes in our very best interests to allow someone we trust to carry out that task for us. Solicitors call this “granting a Power of Attorney.”
We always approach these matters with great care and sensitivity because we realise the decisions involved are never easily made.
There are 2 types of Lasting Powers of Attorney:
- The Lasting Power of Attorney for property and financial affairs, LPA (PFA) which allows you to authorise another person to make decisions on your behalf in relation to your property and financial affairs and to generally manage your financial affairs. This might include the buying and selling of property, the managing of various bank, building society accounts, stocks, shares and investments, or just the day to day management of your income and outgoings.
- The Lasting Power of Attorney for Health & Welfare, LPA (HW) which empowers the person you appoint to make decisions about health, housing and social care issues and medical issues which may affect you including decisions about life-sustaining treatment.
You can choose to make just one of these two types of LPA or both depending on your personal circumstances. Please contact us if you would like to discuss your individual requirements with us to enable us to advise you on the best solution for you.
We can guide you on the sort of restrictions and conditions that you might wish to include.
We can advise you on what measures need to be taken to fully safeguard and protect your current position and your future interests. We can advise you and guide you in relation to the rules and requirements of registration of your Lasting Power of Attorney with the Office of the Public Guardian.
