Unfortunately, there might come a point in your life when you lose mental capacity and are no longer able to make important decisions concerning your health and finances.
There are measures you can put in place in the event that you become mentally or physically incapable, such as empowering a trusted individual. Whilst it can seem pointless to plan ahead when you don’t know how life will plan out, making a Power of Attorney means that you will be covered if you are ever to lose mental capacity.
You might have plans for what you would like to happen healthcare wise and how your finances and property should be dealt with. But without a Power of Attorney document in place, these plans may not be exactly followed as you wished. Having an LPA means you can choose a trusted person or persons to assist in making important decisions when you are no longer able to.
Our Eastbourne Power of Attorney solicitors understand the upset this concept can bring to families. Our solicitors are compassionate, and we will sensitively approach matters, explaining every little detail so that you are making a well-informed decision about your future.
Our friendly Eastbourne solicitors can aid with Power of Attorney matters in East Sussex and the surrounding areas, such as:
- Lasting Powers of Attorney – there are two types of LPAs, Health and Welfare LPA and Finance and Property LPA
- General Powers of Attorney
- Enduring Powers of Attorney
- Notifying the relevant people and organisations of your appointment as an Attorney
- Handling Attorney admin tasks
Our Heringtons lawyers have experience in supporting individuals and families alike on Power of Attorney matters in East Sussex and the surrounding areas. We understand the hardship of such situations and have assisted many clients, from incidents more straightforward to those more complex.
When you make the decision to work alongside our Power of Attorney solicitors, you can be assured that we will:
Fully explain your options in clear, plain English – we will never explain anything in hard to comprehend legal jargon. We do this so you are fully aware of the options available to you, which ensures any decisions you make are the best for you.
Always be available to offer support when you need it – no matter your personal circumstances and needs from us, we will be on hand to lend our expertise, either via telephone or email.
Always be transparent about our fees – prior to beginning work, our team will always make you entirely aware of the suspected costs. We aim to offer on either a fixed price or an hourly rate, depending on certain factors. For further details on our costs, please call our Eastbourne office.
Get in touch with our friendly, experienced Power of Attorney solicitors in Eastbourne
For any type of Power of Attorney advice and guidance, contact our solicitors in Eastbourne.
Or fill in our online enquiry form, and we will be in touch shortly.
Our Power of Attorney Services in Eastbourne
Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs)
It’s a concern of many that one day they may not have the capacity to manage their own lives and important aspects, including finances and health. This could be due to an accident, old age, or illness.
A Lasting Power of Attorney can be put in place in the event this occurs, assigning an Attorney, or multiple Attorneys, to dictate decisions on your behalf and to follow your requests which are set out in the LPA document. A Lasting Power of Attorney will only come into effect once a person has lost mental capacity or where an individual decides that they no longer want to make decisions in concern to themselves.
Our solicitors have assisted many people (known as donors) make the decision to prepare for their future by making an LPA, in addition to advising those acting as Attorneys. We have the knowledge and experience to help you make an LPA that completely reflects your wishes but also restricts what the Attorney can do.
Our Lasting Power of Attorney solicitors can assist in the following matters:
- Advising the available types of Attorneys and the powers they have
- Advising on how best to structure your Lasting Power of Attorney document
- Helping you choose who you want as your Lasting Power of Attorney(s)
- Drafting your Lasting Power of Attorney document to suit your circumstances and needs
- Acting as your certificate provider
- Helping your chosen Attorney(s) to complete the required documentation
- Registering your lasting power of attorney(s) with the Office of the Public Guardian
Lasting Power of Attorney for Property and Finances
A Property and Finances Lasting Power of Attorney allows your chosen Attorney to manage your property and finances. What you want to happen will be specified in your document or verbally by yourself.
Being a Property and Finance LPA means making decisions regarding:
- Investment arrangements
- Sale of property
- Paying bills
- Handling pension
- Withdrawing cash
Lasting Power of Attorney for Health and Welfare
A Health and Welfare Lasting Power of Attorney can only be used where an individual has lost mental capacity to decide on important decisions themselves. This type of LPA allows your chosen Attorney to make health and welfare decisions on your behalf.
Being a Health and Welfare LPA means making decisions regarding:
- Where the mentally incapable person will live
- The mentally incapable person’s day-to-day care
- Consenting or declining specific medical treatment
- Consenting or declining life-sustaining medical treatment
General Powers of Attorney (GPA)
General Powers of Attorney are sometimes alternatively known as ‘Ordinary Powers of Attorney’ or even ‘Powers of Attorney’. They are most often used where only a specific task needs to be carried out on behalf of a person.
A GPA can only be valid where a person has mental capacity to make their own decisions but needs assistance in their life for specific tasks that they may find challenging, including delegating business operating responsibilities, paying bills, going to the bank, and more.
When this type of Attorney is required, it isn’t always a permanent situation. It could be for a short time period where an individual is unable to carry out tasks for themselves.
Our GPA solicitors in Eastbourne understand the importance of finances and the concern that having physical incapability can bring. Our team will assist you in making a well-considered decision on who you will empower for the role and ensuring that the GPA document clearly states their responsibilities and the limitations.
Our Eastbourne General Powers of Attorney solicitors can assist with the following:
- Advising on how best to structure your General Power of Attorney document
- Helping you choose who you want as your General Power of Attorney(s)
- Drafting your General Power of Attorney document to suit your circumstances and needs
- Helping your chosen Attorney(s) to complete the required documentation
Enduring Powers of Attorney (EPA)
Enduring Powers of Attorney were replaced with Lasting Powers of Attorney in October 2007. Any legal EPA that was made prior to October 1, 2007, is still valid to be used, but only in concern to property and finance. Where assistance over healthcare decisions is required, a Health and Welfare LPA is required.
Our Eastbourne solicitors can advise whether your EPA is still valid and advise what the Attorney(s) has the authorisation to do.
Get in touch with our friendly, experienced Power of Attorney solicitors in Eastbourne
If you need any advice or guidance in relation to Power of Attorneys, contact our solicitors Power of Attorney in Eastbourne.
Or fill in our online enquiry form, and we will be in touch shortly.