Power of Attorney
Power of Attorney
About
Power of attorney’s are legal documents that let you (the ‘donor’) appoint one or more people (known as ‘attorneys’) to help you make decisions or to make decisions on your behalf. This gives you more control over what happens to you if you have an accident or an illness and cannot make your own decisions. If you do not have one of these in place (or an advance directive/decision) then doctors will make decisions for you, in your ‘best interests’. Your family cannot make medical decisions for you unless appointed. If you do wan to appoint somebody, you can choose exactly what powers you want to grant. This can be for financial/property matters, or your personal health and welfare or both.
Resources
You do not have to use a solicitor, although if your circumstances are complicated, it is recommended that you do. If you choose to DIY you can follow these steps online or you can download the forms here. If you get stuck filling them out, you can call the Office of the Public Guardian on 0300 456 0300.
In Scotland, you can download the forms from the Office of the Public Guardian (Scotland). For help, call 01324 678 398.
If you become incapacitated and haven’t previously granted a Power of Attorney, it may be necessary for someone close to you to apply to court for an Intervention Order or Guardianship Order, so they can deal with your affairs on your behalf. Applying for a Guardianship Order or Intervention Order can be a lengthy process, so it is much better to grant a Power of Attorney in advance if you can.
Friends at the End offers advice and support on POA’s, so please get in touch if you need more information.