Paying for care: Acting on someone else's behalf
Lasting Power of Attorney
A lasting power of attorney (LPA) is a way of giving someone you trust (your attorney) the legal authority to make decisions on your behalf if you lose the mental capacity to do so in the future, or if you no longer want to make decisions for yourself.
There are two types of LPA:
- LPA for property and financial affairs
- LPA for health and welfare
An LPA for property and financial affairs can allow your chosen attorney to act on your behalf when it comes to your financial assessment and paying for your care, as well as other financial decisions.
The LPA can be used while you still have mental capacity, if you want it to, or you can state that you only want it to come into force if you lose capacity.
You can make a Lasting Power of Attorney at any time, but you must have capacity to do so.
You can find more information about this at GOV.UK: Lasting Power of Attorney, or you can seek advice from a solicitor.