The UK is an aging population, out of the 67 million people in the UK, 15.4 million are over the age of 65 and over 944,000 suffer with age related illness such as dementia and Alzheimer’s. As we live longer the likelihood of requiring care increases and this brings to the forefront the question of who should decide what is best for us if the need for care were to arise. A Powers of Attorney document states who you would want to make decisions and act on your behalf if you were unable to do so yourself. Without the Powers of Attorney in place your health care decisions are made by social services and your financial decisions made by a representative of the court of protection.

 

There are two different types of LPA, the first is for property and financial affairs – which is especially important if you have a property, joint bank accounts and direct debits set up from your accounts. The second is for health and welfare and it allows your appointed Attorney to make decisions on how and where you are treated. In the absence of this LPA these decisions are made on your behalf by somebody who is likely never to have met you and has no understanding of your personal circumstances or what your wishes would be.

 

It is now a government recommendation that everybody as Powers of Attorney in place.

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The short video below is taken for the BBC’s 1 show and highlights the expense and stress that can be brought on in the absence of Powers of Attorney.