The GOV website defines a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) as “a legal document that lets you (the ‘donor’) appoint one or more people (known as ‘attorneys’) to help you make decisions or to make decisions on your behalf.” LPAs are useful if you find yourself in a position where you are unable to make your own decisions or take care of things yourself, in the case of an illness or mental incapacity.
Having a Solicitor to help you set up a LPA will ensure that you receive all relevant advice about the process, and that it is being done correctly and efficiently. Having it done right and having it done now can save a great deal of time in the long run. A Solicitor can identify any problems and minimise the risk of any applications being rejected at the Office of The Public Guardian.
They could be rejected for something as seemingly trivial as a slight error or correction in the dating of the document or an inconsistency in the spelling of a name.
Currently applications seem to be taking between about 4 to 5 months with the Public Guardian anyway – and this is where there aren’t any problems. (Before the Pandemic, applications were taking over two months.)
It may be necessary for your loved ones to make an application to the Court of Protection for authority. This process is currently taking a very long time, perhaps as long as a year. Furthermore, the Order of the Court may not be what you would have wished or be as wide-ranging as you might have wished. They can be complicated, costly and there is always the risk of competing applications being run.
Solicitors can provide expert legal advice and help you to make the right decisions if you are unaware of what making an LPA involves, and ensure that the process is carried out as smoothly and efficiently as possible.
At Black Norman, we provide expert services for many legal situations and can offer advice and support concerning your Lasting Power of Attorney. Find more information about our Lasting Power of Attorney services, or get in touch with a member of our team today. We can arrange LPAs quickly, efficiently, sympathetically and all at a reasonable price! We are happy to arrange to see clients:
https://www.gov.uk/power-of-attorney
