A Lasting Power of Attorney is a legal document, prepared on a special form, which allows a person (who is over 18 and is capable of understanding the effect of this document) to choose someone or some other people to be attorney(s) on their behalf. The power would be used at a time in the future when that person no longer wishes to make decisions on their own behalf or because that person lacks sufficient mental capacity to make decisions.
A Lasting Power of Attorney can only be used if it has been registered, following the payment of the appropriate fee at the Office of Public Guardianship.
There are two forms of Lasting Power of Attorney:-
A General Power of Attorney is a power of attorney which allows a person to appoint an attorney(s) to make decision on their behalf. These decisions can include buying or selling shares, property and signing cheques etc.
There is no requirement for the General Power of Attorney to be registered, however, the General Power of Attorney automatically comes to an end when the person, who has granted the Power of Attorney in the first place, loses their mental capacity or dies.
