A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) gives another person or persons (known as your ‘attorney(s)’) the authority to act for you if you are unable to do so yourself. This could be if you fall ill or suffer an injury.
If you do not have a LPA in place and you lose mental capacity, it will be necessary for someone to make an expensive and time-consuming application to the Court of Protection in order to act on your behalf. This process can take several months.
By putting a LPA in place, you can choose who you would like to act on your behalf and appoint them well in advance so that they will be able to step in immediately when needed. An attorney can be granted the power to make decisions in respect of your property and financial affairs, as well as in respect of your health and welfare.
Here at Bird & Co, we have an experienced team who can guide you through the process of making and registering a LPA, as well as advising attorneys who have been appointed to manage someone else’s affairs.
Have a question about LPAs? Take a look at our FAQs.
Want to chat with one of our friendly Lasting Power of Attorney solicitors? Contact your local Bird & Co office in Grantham, Newark or Lincoln, or you can ask us a question.
Why choose Bird & Co Solicitors to help you with LPAs
With our LPA service, we can offer you:
- Expert guidance from a highly experienced team
- Plain English explanations so you can make informed decisions
- Confidence that everything has been thought of
- Competitive fees
- A close, personal service from start to finish
Want to know more about the Bird & Co team? Take a look at our people.
Our LPA solicitors’ services
Making a LPA
It is important to note that there are two types of LPA available to you. One provides your attorney(s) with the power to make decisions in respect of your property and financial affairs and one in respect of your health and welfare.
Our LPA solicitors can advise you on the appointment of attorney(s) and what power you would like to give them to help you with your affairs should that be necessary in the future.
With our support, you will have a comprehensive understanding of what the consequences may be for granting certain powers, and what will happen should you ever regain mental capacity.
Making a LPA while you still have mental capacity is essential, as it needs to be shown that you understand what you are signing.
Registering a LPA
Once you have decided on the details of the LPA, it needs to be registered at the Office of the Public Guardian before it can be used.
A property and finance LPA can be used as soon as it has been registered, whether or not you have capacity, while a health and welfare LPA can only be used when you are no longer able to make decisions on your own behalf.
Our team can help you with the process of registering a LPA, ensuring that no mistakes are made which could delay the process, or lead to the LPA not being useable when required.
Advice for attorneys
Taking over the responsibility of managing someone else’s affairs and acting as an attorney can be a very daunting prospect. Especially if it is not something you have ever had to do before. Acting as an attorney is an important duty, which is why seeking legal advice is highly recommended.
There are usually very strict rules as to what you can and cannot do as an attorney, but these may not be immediately obvious. Our solicitors can review the LPA you are acting under, advising you on your powers and what actions you are permitted to take.
Our LPA solicitors’ fees
At Bird & Co, we understand how important value for money is for our clients. That is why we take every step to provide an outstanding service that is in line with our legal fees, benchmarked against comparable law firms to remain competitive in the field.
We can offer a fixed fee LPA service in most circumstances, giving certainty over the costs involved.
We are always transparent and forthcoming with our fees and will provide cost estimates for any of the work which is due to be carried out. If any additional fees are required for work to be completed, we promise to keep you informed and ensure you are happy before proceeding forward.