Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA) are documents whereby you can give one or more people authority to make decisions on your behalf.
There are two types of LPA and they are very important documents which ensure that someone you trust has the authority to deal with your property and financial affairs and enable them to make decisions regarding your personal welfare should you lose the mental capacity to make those decisions yourself.
Currently, the system for creating and using Lasting Powers of Attorney is entirely paper-based. However, this could be set to change as Ministers are looking to overhaul the legal process to switch the current paper-based application process over to an entirely digitalised one.
The hopes of over-hauling the paper-based system are to speed up the process for making an LPA; it can take around three months once submitted for an LPA to be registered by the Office of the Public Guardian and an LPA must be registered before it can be used. Modernising the process could also make it simpler and cheaper for individuals to make LPAs themselves.
There are, however, some concerns with the idea of an entirely digitalised system which could carry greater risks which expose the elderly and vulnerable to abuse of power and fraud and there would need to be appropriate safeguards in place in order to prevent this.
The government began a 12-week consultation in July which is due to conclude on 13 September 2021.
Our Private Client team can help to guide you through the process of making a Lasting Power of Attorney and are available to discuss any queries or concerns you may have.
