Lasting powers of attorney in Rochdale

Choose who can act during your lifetime.

A lasting power of attorney, usually called an LPA, lets you appoint trusted people to make specified decisions on your behalf. It is useful for adults who want a plan for illness, an accident or a future loss of mental capacity. Making a will does not give anyone this authority while you are alive.

Our lasting powers of attorney service in Rochdale helps you consider the roles, choose attorneys and arrange the documents. The initial consultation is free, at Chichester House or on Zoom. We explain the work and total fee before you commit. You must have the relevant mental capacity when making the LPA, so it is sensible to plan before a crisis.

Two LPAs, with different purposes.

A property and financial affairs LPA can cover bank accounts, bills, investments and property. Once registered, it can be used with your permission while you still have mental capacity, unless the document restricts this. Attorneys must act within the document and the law; appointment does not give them ownership of your money.

A health and welfare LPA concerns decisions such as care, accommodation and medical treatment. It can be used only when you cannot make the particular decision yourself. You also decide whether your attorneys may give or refuse consent to life-sustaining treatment on your behalf.

You can make either type or both. Each is a separate document with a separate registration fee. Your husband, wife or partner does not automatically have authority to manage all your finances or make all welfare decisions simply because of the relationship.

Choosing attorneys and preparing for the meeting.

Think about who is reliable, willing to act and able to manage the responsibilities. Consider replacement attorneys and whether your attorneys should act together, independently, or in different ways for different decisions. We discuss the practical consequences, including what happens if someone cannot continue.

Bring identification, proof of address, any existing powers of attorney, and the full names, addresses and dates of birth of proposed attorneys and replacements. A summary of your finances and any business interests is useful. Consider any preferences you want recorded and anyone you want notified of the application.

You also need a certificate provider who can confirm that you understand the LPA and are not being pressured. We explain the eligibility rules and agree the arrangements. Mention health, communication or access needs in advance so that the meeting can be organised appropriately.

Instructions, review and signing.

We take your instructions and confirm the proposed appointments and scope. We aim to issue the first draft within 14 business days of receiving complete instructions. If there is a delay, we explain the reason and revised timing. Please tell us about urgent circumstances before the work starts.

You review the names, appointments, preferences and any instructions before the documents are finalised. Restrictions need careful drafting: an instruction that looks sensible can make the LPA difficult to use. We explain the effect of the wording rather than simply adding every requested restriction.

The donor, certificate provider, attorneys and any replacements must sign in the correct order, with witnessing where required. We provide guidance and check the completed documents as far as practical. The agreed engagement explains who will deal with the registration application and any additional work.

Registration, cost and safe keeping.

Our fee starts at £120 per LPA including VAT. The Office of the Public Guardian charges £92 to register each LPA, separately from our fee. A reduction or exemption may be available depending on income or benefits. Two LPAs for one person therefore carry £184 in standard registration fees.

Registration usually takes 8 to 10 weeks if the application has no mistakes. This is additional to instruction-taking, drafting, review and signing time. An LPA cannot be used until it is registered. Check GOV.UK’s registration guidance for current figures.

Our optional £30 annual storage package covers a single person or couple’s wills, registered LPAs and associated estate-planning documents. Attorneys need to know how to obtain access or appropriate copies. Business owners should also consider whether a separate business LPA is appropriate. Read about planning for business owners and document storage.