What would your family do if you were to lose physical or mental capacity? Most people I talk to say my partner would help make my decisions. The reality is that without a Lasting Power of Attorney in place your family would have to apply to the court of protection to get access to any of your assets even your bank account. This process can be a nightmare if your partner is financially dependent on you or you have a joint bank account as your assets are now frozen. Your family cannot make decisions about your healthcare this is now done by someone who doesn’t know you from your local council. They now have control over how, when and where you get looked after.

There are two types of Lasting Power of Attorney that you should have in place;