We work closely with you to create the Power of Attorney and have specialist experience in assisting disabled and vulnerable individuals throughout this process.
We have a wealth of experience in advising you on what type of Power of Attorney suits your needs, as well as helping you choose the right person to act as your attorney.
There are two different types of Power of Attorney, a Property and Financial Affairs Lasting Power of Attorney which covers your financial affairs, taxes, assets etc and a Health and Welfare Power of Attorney which covers medical treatment, care and personal matters. We specialise in working with families and carers of disabled and vulnerable individuals and our team has built its excellent reputation on understanding the specific needs of parents and carers.
Our bespoke approach starts with an initial meeting where we will discuss what you want to achieve and why you are thinking of having a Power of Attorney. We will also explore other options and alternatives that you may not have considered, which may be more economic and easier to manage.
If a Power of Attorney is right for you, we will explain the difference between the two types and outline all of the associated costs, including the fees that will be incurred from the Office of the Public Guardian to register the Power of Attorney.
As part of the consultation we will discuss who you would like to be your attorneys, who would be appropriate back-up attorneys and how they may act, together or separately. Once your attorneys have been chosen we will help you decide if you would like to give them full power or with some restrictions – if it’s the latter we will ensure it is clear what those restrictions are.
We will also talk about expressing any wishes to your attorneys, for example how you would like your attorney(s) to conduct their affairs when they have to make certain decisions.
A Certificate Provider needs to also be chosen, this is the person who makes the decision that your attorney(s) have the capacity to conduct what they need to do. This service can provided by Renaissance Legal.
After the meeting the Power of Attorney documentation is drafted and this will be sent to you for approval. If you have chosen us to be the Certificate Provider we will need to meet and sign as the certificate needs to be signed before it goes to the chosen attorney(s) for them to sign.
Once all parties are happy the Power of Attorney is sent to the Office of the Public Guardian, the usual process for registration takes two months.
Powers of Attorney are a complex area and we understand that the process and options may seem daunting. For further information or to arrange a consultation meeting to discuss your particular circumstances please contact us.
