Power of Attorney

A power of attorney (PoA) is a legal document that allows an individual to appoint another person, called an "attorney," to act on their behalf. A power of attorney can be used to give someone the authority to make decisions and take actions related to financial or legal matters, or to make health and welfare decisions if the individual becomes unable to make decisions for themselves.

There are two main types of power of attorney in the UK:

1. Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA): An LPA allows an individual to appoint an attorney to make decisions and take actions on their behalf even if they become unable to make decisions for themselves, for example, due to mental incapacity or illness.
2. Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA): An EPA is similar to an LPA, but it is only valid while the individual still has capacity to make decisions for themselves.

In order to create a power of attorney, the individual must be 18 years of age or older and have the mental capacity to make decisions for themselves. The power of attorney must be signed and witnessed and must be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) in order to be used.