A health and welfare LPA, sometimes called a medical power of attorney, lets your attorneys make decisions about your care, where you live and medical treatment, but only if you lose the mental capacity to decide for yourself. You can also choose whether to give them authority over life-sustaining treatment. David explains each option carefully.
David is based in Gloucester, so arranging a home visit anywhere in the city is straightforward, from Quedgeley and Tuffley to Longlevens and Abbeymead. Whether you are planning ahead for yourself or helping a parent put their affairs in order, David meets you at home, explains each form in plain English and stays with the process until the Office of the Public Guardian has registered your LPA.
Areas covered near Gloucester: Quedgeley, Hucclecote, Longlevens, Abbeymead, Churchdown, Tuffley, Newent and the Forest of Dean.
Yes, if you have lost the mental capacity to decide yourself. Your attorney can consent to or refuse treatment in your best interests. For life-sustaining treatment, they can only decide if you gave them that authority on the LPA form; otherwise doctors make that decision.
Yes. A health and welfare LPA lets your attorney decide where you live and what care you receive, including moving into a care home, but only once you can no longer make that decision for yourself. They must take your wishes and feelings into account.
A health and welfare attorney can access personal information about you, including medical records, where it is needed to make a decision on your behalf. This helps them talk to doctors and care staff about your treatment and care.
Discover our straightforward pricing for Medical Power Of Attorney Service in Gloucester. There are no hidden extras, and you pay nothing until all documentation is prepared. Let David take the stress out of putting your LPA in place.
£300 - £600 + VAT
£175 (Currently no VAT)
In my opinion having a registered LPA in place is as important as making a will, if not more so. Sadly, many of us will know of a loved one, friend or neighbour who has lost their mental capacity through accident or illness.
Ensuring that you have an LPA registered with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) will provide peace of mind to you (the donor) and your appointed representative(s) (your attorney(s)) that they will have a legally binding authority to act on your behalf if you are unable to do so yourself, concerning matters such as financial affairs and your health and welfare.
Mental capacity means being able to make a decision and understand its consequences. Under the Mental Capacity Act 2005, a person lacks capacity for a decision if they cannot understand the relevant information, retain it, weigh it up, or communicate their decision. Capacity is judged decision by decision, at the time the decision needs to be made.
Your attorney should be someone you trust completely, such as a family member, close friend or professional. Read more about capacity in our FAQs.
Many people assume a husband, wife or civil partner can automatically step in. They cannot. Without a registered LPA, no one, including your spouse, has the legal authority to manage your finances or make decisions about your care if you lose mental capacity.
Instead, your family would have to apply to the Court of Protection to appoint a deputy, which can take many months and costs far more than an LPA. In the meantime, banks can restrict accounts, including joint accounts, to essential transactions only. An LPA put in place now avoids all of this.
Mental capacity can be lost suddenly or gradually, at any age. Common causes include:
An LPA is not just for later life.
If you are a sole trader, partner or company director and lose mental capacity without an LPA, it may not be possible to pay staff or suppliers or complete business transactions. Banks can freeze accounts held jointly with business partners. A business LPA lets someone you trust keep things running. See our FAQs for business owners.
Examples of Attorney Powers – Health and Welfare
Once you can no longer make a decision yourself, a health and welfare attorney can, for example:
1. Decide where you live, including moving into a care home.
2. Arrange the care and support you need.
3. Consent to or refuse medical treatment, and decide about life-sustaining treatment only if you have given them that authority.
4. Make day-to-day decisions such as diet, dress and social activities.
5. See personal information about you, including medical records, where it is needed for a decision.
These are examples only. You can add restrictions or instructions, and some decisions, such as marriage or voting, can never be made by an attorney.
Examples of Attorney Powers – Property and Financial Affairs
With your permission, or once you lose mental capacity, a property and financial affairs attorney can, for example:
1. Manage your bank and building society accounts.
2. Pay bills, household costs and care fees.
3. Claim pensions and benefits on your behalf.
4. Buy, sell or rent out your property.
5. Deal with your tax returns and investments.
Gifts are limited to customary occasions and reasonable amounts; larger gifts or tax planning need Court of Protection approval. These are examples only, not a full list.
David Forte helps families across Gloucester put every type of Lasting Power of Attorney in place, with home visits and a fixed fee. Choose the service that fits you:
Providing lasting powers of attorney to people in Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire including,
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