End of life
Lasting Power of Attorney
A lasting power of attorney can be completed decades before death.
What is a Lasting Power of Attorney?
The NHS provide a simple explanation
Lasting power of attorney Lasting power of attorney – NHS
WHY COMPLETE A LASTING POWER OF ATTORNEY (LPA) NOW
There are many reasons to consider completing a lasting power of attorney, some of them are covered below:
WHY COMPLETE A LASTING POWER OF ATTORNEY (LPA) NOW
Despite the taboos around death many people will still complete a Will often many decades before death particularly as they get older:
From Today’s Wills & Probate
79% of over 65s and 57% aged between 55 and 64 are reported to have a Will.
“Only 4 in 10 UK adults have a Will despite owning a property.” From Today’s Wills and Probate website. Retrieved 23rd November 2022.
The number of people completing a lasting power of attorney (LPA) is increasing but it is still very low, with less than 10% of the UK population having a lasting power of attorney.
As Age UK suggest:
“Don’t assume If you’re married or in a civil partnership, you may have assumed that your spouse would automatically be able to deal with your bank account and pensions, and make decisions about your healthcare, if you lose the ability to do so. This is not the case. Without an LPA, they won’t have the authority.“
Power of attorney – Lasting, enduring and ordinary. From Age UK website. Retrieved 23rd November 2022.
As Which (UK’s consumer champion) suggests
“Why you should make a power of attorney – You could be unable to make decisions or deal with your affairs regarding your medical treatment or finances, if you have an accident, fall ill, or you just need a little help. A power of attorney makes sure that people you trust have the right to act in your best interests.”
“Which Wills – Power of Attorney.” From Which website. Retrieved 23rd November 2022.
POTENTIAL ISSUES OF NOT COMPLETING AN LPA
The reason many people are now completing a lasting power of attorney even though they may be decades away from any significant illness is that they want to avoid significant complexity, problems and cost for their loved ones who may need to support them.
Age UK explain what may happen if there is no lasting power of attorney in place
What if you don’t have a lasting power of attorney What happens if you don’t have a power of attorney | Age UK
The potential cost if someone has already lost mental capacity is set out by MoneySavingExpert
If they’ve already lost capacity… Power of Attorney: Plan ahead – MoneySavingExpert
END OF LIFE PLANNING
As Age Uk suggest
“Thinking about the end of life can be tough, but being well informed can help us stay in control of the way we die.”
End of life planning. The Age UK website. Retrieved 23rd November 2022.
The NHS go further suggesting the benefits for your partner and family
End of life planning “can also help to make things easier for your partner and family when you’re nearing the end of life.”
“Why plan ahead?” The NHS website. Retrieved 23rd November 2022.
A fuller explanation on why it is worth planning ahead and how you can make plans (including information on advance statements and advanced decisions -living wills) can be found under
You may be many decades away from death but some understanding of the information available ensures that you are ready, when you feel it is appropriate, to review it. See under
How can you complete a lasting power of attorney?
From MoneysavingExpert
This is an excellent guide and a good place to start. It includes numbers you can phone for advice (It was written with the help of the Alzheimer’s Society and Age UK and combines these different organisations skills).
Power of Attorney Power of Attorney: Plan ahead – MoneySavingExpert
From Age UK
Their section on power of attorney is excellent
Power of attorney Power of attorney – Lasting, enduring and ordinary | Age UK
From Alzeihmer’s Society
Lasting power of attorney for people with dementia Lasting power of attorney for people with dementia | Alzheimer’s Society
From Gov.uk
Make, register or end a lasting power of attorney Make, register or end a lasting power of attorney – GOV.UK
From the Office of the Public Guardian
How to use and view an LPA online Office of the Public Guardian – GOV.UK
Support for carers
From Carers UK
“It can be difficult to know where to start if you need to look after a relative’s or friend’s affairs when they need a lot of support or are unable to manage their own. This section explains different ways to navigate the system and how to get support and assistance from service providers.”
Managing someone’s affairs Different ways of managing someone’s affairs | Carers UK
OTHER INFORMATION ON A LASTING POWER OF ATTORNEY
From the Law Society
Power of attorney Power of attorney | The Law Society
From Patient info
End of Life Care- What is a lasting power of attorney? End of Life Care | Patient
