Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) documents provide for a smooth transition of authority from you to a trusted friend or relative should you become unable to continue to make decisions for yourself.
Any one over the age of 18 can have a LPA document registered at the Office of the Public Guardian (there is a fee for each LPA registered) but not having one in place prior to such a distressing event occurring can be vastly more expensive. I have no wish to frighten anyone but if you want to see a true story of how badly things can go wrong click on this youtube link.
There are two types of LPA, Health and Welfare or Property and Financial affairs. These are fairly self-explanatory. You can register one or both, but they both incur a registration fee from the Office of the Public Guardian.
If you watched the three minute video from BBC’s ‘The One Show’ you might want to read the whole story from Heather herself, click here. You will I’m sure agree, this appalling situation should never have of happened, nor should the family have been charged a total in excess of £3,000 of their money just for the privilege of paying their own bills!
The fees have risen since 2003. Today the figure would have been considerably greater.