Help your family to take care of you
Give loved ones the legal powers to make decisions with Lasting Power of Attorney in Bristol
What can go wrong if you don’t have Lasting Power of Attorney?
Injury, serious illness and dementia can cause a loss of mental capacity – either temporary or permanent. If that happens…
Bank accounts and pensions could be frozen
Nobody would be able to sell your house
Doctors could overrule your wishes
The state decides where and how you live
Family members need a costly court order
Without Power of Attorney, your loved ones would have to apply to the Court of Protection, which is expensive and time-consuming.
Lasting Power of Attorney gives you peace of mind
- Your family has the power to give you practical help you when you need it the most.
- Make sure that doctors and care professionals follow your wishes.
- Avoid a costly application to the Court of Protection.
For more information, download free factsheets on Lasting Power of Attorney, Wills, Trusts, inheritance tax and other aspects of estate planning.
The easy way to get Lasting Power of Attorney in Bristol
We’ll save you from the paperwork, explain legal jargon and recommend the best options for you.
No hidden costs
A single, fixed fee covers both documents.
save time
We’ll explain the legal terms and chase signatures.
correct setup
We’ll make sure your documents will work as intended.
minimise delays
Avoid the Office of the Public Guardian rejecting your application.
Lasting Power of Attorney terms explained
Lasting Power of Attorney for Property and Financial Affairs
This document gives your trusted attorneys the legal right to access bank accounts, savings and pensions and deal with property.
Lasting Power of Attorney for Health and Welfare
This document gives your trusted attorneys the legal right to talk to doctors on your behalf and make decisions on your day-to-day care and life-sustaining treatment.
Three steps to making Lasting Power of Attorney
1
BOOK AN APPOINTMENT
Pick a time and date to suit your diary.
2
DISCUSS YOUR NEEDS
Tell us your aims and circumstances.
3
SIGN YOUR LPA
It’s legal once registered with the Office of the Public Guardian.
I care about helping you and your loved ones
I know Lasting Powers of Attorney seem complicated. The forms can be confusing because there are so many options. Choosing the wrong options can cause a lot of problems later on.
So let me take the weight off your shoulders by completing and submitting Lasting Power of Attorney, as I have done for my family.
I’ve used Lasting Power of Attorney with my own family so I know how they work and how to use them. I want to give you the same peace of mind.
Graham Southorn, MIPW
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Why you need Lasting Power of Attorney
“You may assume that a family member will automatically be able to make decisions for you, be that a partner, spouse, son or daughter, but this simply isn’t true. Unless Power of Attorney is in place, your family does not have the right to make decisions on your behalf.” – Age UK
“There are a lot of financial goings on, which is making life very complicated because I can’t get access to things. Because legally, I haven’t got power of attorney… dealing with a situation where someone’s been sick for a long time.” – Kate Garraway, Hello magazine
Prudent estate planning involves more than Power of Attorney
Wills
Help your family by making your wishes clear.
Asset Protection
Ensure your property goes to the right people.
Inheritance Tax planning
Avoid inheritance tax by planning ahead.
Why Lasting Power of Attorney is as important as making a Will
Lasting Power of Attorney is a bit like having an insurance policy.
Hopefully you’ll never need it. But unless you never have any health problems, chances are that you will.
We’re living longer and older people are more likely to lose mental capacity as a result of dementia.
But it may not be dementia that causes a loss of capacity. It could be an accident or a disease like COVID-19. This sadly happened to TV presenter Kate Garraway, whose husband Derek Draper was in a coma for several months.
They did not have Lasting Power of Attorney and it caused problems for Kate.
She was unable to access accounts and financial products in his name or remortgage their house. (Even if you have joint accounts, the bank has the right to freeze half if one joint owner loses capacity).
In addition, the hospital treating Derek would not divulge his medical records. It made no difference that they were married.
Kate has said things would have been easier with Lasting Powers of Attorney for Health and Welfare and Property and Financial Affairs. They would have given her the legal right to deal with Derek’s finances and medical care.
What is the alternative?
If someone loses capacity, you would have to apply to the Court of Protection for deputyship to act on their behalf. It’s a much longer and far more costly process than getting a Lasting Power of Attorney.
But it’s worth knowing that it can take several months to get Lasting Powers of Attorney because a Government department called the Office of the Public Guardian has to register them. For that reason, it’s best to arrange them as soon as possible.
Don’t put it off!