Lasting Power of Attorney (Property & Affairs)
- Replaced Enduring Powers of Attorney
A Lasting Power of Attorney (Property and Financial Affairs) allows your attorney(s) to make decisions about paying bills; opening, closing and operating your bank & building society accounts; collecting benefits, pensions and allowances; buying or selling your home, etc
Once a property and financial affairs Lasting Power of Attorney has been registered, your attorney(s) can start to make decisions for you - both when you have mental capacity and when you lack mental capacity. However, you still have authority to act for yourself and your Lasting Power of Attorney does not have to be used straight away. If you don't want your attorney(s) to act until you lack capacity, you can put a restriction in your Lasting Power of Attorney.
Lasting Powers of Attorney (Property and Financial Affairs) replaced Enduring Powers of Attorney in October 2007. Although it is not possible to make a new power, Enduring Powers of Attorney correctly completed prior to October 2007 are still valid. Unlike Lasting Powers of Attorney, Enduring Powers of Attorney do not need to be registered unless you become unable to manage your own financial affairs. However, if changes are required, it is necessary to make a new Lasting Power of Attorney and register it with the Office of the Public Guardian.
If you have an Enduring Power of Attorney and become unable to manage your own finances, your attorney(s) will have a duty to register the power with the Office of the Public Guardian. We shall be pleased to assist with the formalities at a competitive fixed cost.
