LPA PA Lasting Power of Attorney Property and Affairs

Anyone can make a Power of Attorney instrument which authorises another person to make decisions and enter into transactions on his behalf. The person who makes the Power of Attorney instrument is called the donor, and the person he appoints under it is his attorney.

A Power of Attorney can be drafted to relate only to a specific piece of property, or can extend to all of the donor’s affairs. However, if the donor loses his mental capacity, as a result of illness or injury or extreme old-age, a normal Power of Attorney ceases to be effective and the attorneys can no longer act on his behalf.

A Lasting Power of Attorney is a special instrument which allows the donor to appoint attorneys who will be able to act on his behalf even if he loses mental capacity. It is useful, for example, in cases where someone suffers from dementia and wants to determine who will make decisions for them when they are no longer able to do so themselves. The attorneys who are appointed under a Lasting Power of Attorney cannot act on the donor’s behalf until it has been registered with the Office of the Public Guardian. Registration forms are available for download on this website.

This Lasting Power of Attorney is specifically for appointing attorney’s who will have authority to deal with the donor’s property and financial affairs. If you need to make a Power of Attorney which appoints people to make decisions about your health, care and wellbeing, then you will need to use the alternative Lasting Power of Attorney Health and Welfare form.