As you get older, you want to make life easier for yourself and your relatives. Our specialist team can assist in a variety of matters to ensure your peace of mind.

Powers of Attorney

By setting up a Lasting Power of Attorney, you can appoint someone to assist you with your financial affairs, your health and welfare, or to sign documents on your behalf if you are going to be out of the country. There are numerous different types of Powers of Attorney and we can help you to decide which is best for you and your retirement planning.

On occasions, a friend or relative may not be able to manage their own finances owing to ill health. A Lasting Power of Attorney can continue even if you lose mental capacity, so it can be a great reassurance to you and your family to have one in place.

Deputyship

If you lose mental capacity and there is no Lasting Power of Attorney or valid Enduring Power of Attorney in place, we understand that this can be an extremely distressing time for friends and family. We can offer friendly and sympathetic advice and assistance with the legal steps you need to take to appoint someone to act as Deputy to deal with these matters.

We can help complete the forms to make an application to the Court of Protection to be appointed Deputy and we can offer guidance on the role of a Deputy.

We can also act as Deputy ourselves and give you the reassurance of taking full responsibility for dealing with your financial affairs thereby ensuring that all needs are met.

Care home advice

When a friend or relative has to move into a care home or nursing home, the need to arrange funding for the fees can make the transition even more worrying. Depending on the care needs and financial circumstances of the person involved, the Local Authority or local NHS Trust may have an obligation to pay part or all of the care fees. We can offer practical advice about a person’s rights in these circumstances and challenge the decisions of the Local Authority or NHS if they fail to pay for care when they have a duty to do so.

Advance Decisions and Trustee Investments

You may feel worried about future healthcare. An advance decision will offer you an opportunity to express your views; in particular, if you wish to refuse certain types of treatment, including life-sustaining treatment.

It is also possible for you to make a Lasting Power of Attorney for health and welfare matters.

We can advise you generally on these arrangements and ensure that a legally valid document is drawn up to make your wishes clear.

If you cannot email us, please call us on 020 8290 0440 or click here to send us your enquiry.

Factsheet: Lasting Powers of Attorney