find out about
Lasting power of attorney
Simple, clear advice. Put your Health & Welfare and Property & Financial Affairs in order.
Peace of mind for many involves knowing that someone you trust is on hand to deal with your affairs when you are not able to do so.
Sudden incapacitation, deteriorating illness or loss of ability to communicate means you may no longer be able to state your wishes at a time when you most want to be heard.
With a registered Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) in place, you can rest assured that your nominated spokesperson is listened to.
There are two different types of LPA. We can draw up the legal documents required for either, or both, and submit them for registration by the Office of The Public Guardian.
Costs
Our home visit service is available at no extra cost
LPA Property and Financial Affairs – £325
LPA Health and Welfare – £325
Both LPAs for one person – £500*
Both LPAs for a couple – £950*
Additional costs:
Office of Public Guardian registration fees: £82 per document**
*No additional discount may be used in conjuction with this already discounted rate.
**This is reduced to £41 per document if your income is below £12,000 per year.
This LPA authorises your Attorney to deal with your everyday finances on your behalf. They can deal with your bank and access your funds to buy groceries, pay bills, make gifts and make investment decisions.
Your Attorney must provide an annual account of your finances to the Court of Protection and, in some circumstances, require the permission of the Court to use your funds. You can state in your LPA documentation any specific guidance the Attorney must heed when making decisions, for example in relation to investments.
Without an LPA in place, a financial institution may not grant anyone access to your accounts in this way. There will be a significant delay in someone being able to access your funds in order to meet your daily needs.
When you need someone else to manage your financial affairs for you, an individual must apply to the Office of Public Guardian for registration as your Attorney. This could result in someone you would not have chosen yourself being appointed as your Attorney by the Court.
This LPA authorises your Attorney to represent your wishes in relation to your treatment and daily health care. You can include specific guidance in your LPA to inform your Attorney’s decisions.
Your Attorney is responsible for your welfare, which includes making applications to your Financial Affairs Attorney to pay for your toiletries, liaising with your healthcare providers regarding care packages and routines, signing medical consent forms, and being your voice in situations where life saving or prolonging treatment is being considered.
Without an LPA in place, your medical team will make these decisions in your best interests.
You may already have made an Advance Decision (Living Will) so that your wishes on certain treatments are known. Please talk to us before also entering into a Health & Welfare LPA as the provisions will conflict with your Advance Decision. We will guide you through the process to ensure your wishes are clear and legally binding on your medical team for when it matters most.
It is important to get the LPA documentation right. For this reason, we recommend a consultation to discuss your needs and wishes, before we draft the paperwork on your behalf. We can then go through the documents together. You may wish to talk them through with your GP, financial adviser and/or your chosen Attorney(s) too.
When you are happy with the powers being granted and any restrictions included, we can make the application for registration on your behalf. Once registered, your LPA only comes in to effect when you lose capacity to manage your affairs on your own. Your Attorney(s) then have full responsibility to manage your affairs on your behalf, and are accountable to the Court of Protection.
The LPAs immediately cease to be valid when you die, and the Executors under your Will become responsible for the administration of your Estate.
Contact Us
Oxford Wills & Probate
267 Banbury Road Summertown Oxford OX2 7HQ
01865 688309