Power of Attorney Solicitors in Stockport & Manchester

Drawing up a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) can seem like a daunting process but one day it may not be possible to manage your own financial or welfare matters without help from someone else. Our extremely helpful and approachable Powers of Attorney Solicitors can put things in place for you to give your family one less thing to worry about.

It’s impossible to predict what is around the corner and no one wants to think about becoming ill or having an accident, but these things do unfortunately happen. Here at Gorvins, our team of dedicated Power of Attorney solicitors can guide you through the process.

To get started, call us on 0161 930 5151,  e-mail us at willsteam@gorvins.com or fill in the online enquiry form to discuss how we can help you to make plans for your future.

The Gorvins Approach to Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA)

Our approach is to put you first. To do this we assess your individual situation, listen carefully to your wishes and provide specialist advice on how you can proceed forward. Our professional and dedicated Power of Attorney solicitors act fully in your best interests whether you feel you have a complicated or simple situation. We understand your needs and you can rest assured that we have dealt with many similar cases to yours, putting us in the best position to advise you.

Why Should I Make Lasting Powers of Attorney?

It’s vitally important that you make Lasting Powers of Attorney while you are mentally able to do so. In fact, it’s the only time when you can make an LPA as once you lose mental ability you have to go through the much more costly and lengthier process of achieving a Court of Protection order.

Most people don’t realise that if you lose the ability to make financial welfare decisions for yourself, your partner or family don’t automatically have the right to do this on your behalf. If you don’t plan ahead, you’ll have no say at all in who helps you with your finances and welfare.

A Lasting Power of Attorney gives another person, or more than one, the legal authority to make certain decisions on your behalf if you are unable to do so or lose mental capacity, whether that’s through a brain injury or by developing a disease such as Alzheimer’s. Making an LPA is not just for the elderly, but for all manner of people, including those who take part in extreme sports or participate in contact sports such as rugby.

What are the two types of Lasting Power of Attorney?

There are two types of Lasting Power of Attorney:

• A Property and Financial Affairs LPA – an attorney can make decisions on things such as buying or selling property, paying the mortgage and bills, investing money etc
• A Health and Welfare LPA – an attorney can make decisions about your healthcare such as where you should live, your medical care, what you should eat and what kind of social activities you should take part in etc.

How long will it take to get a Power of Attorney?

Once you’ve spoken to a solicitor and sent all the appropriate documentation through to the office of the public guardian, you’ll typically have to wait eight to ten weeks.

If there are any mistakes on the forms or if changes are needed, the time period may be longer. This is one of the risks of applying for an LPA without a solicitor. By appointing a professional to walk you through the process, you reduce the risk of time-consuming errors.

Is it better to use a solicitor to set up a Power of Attorney?

Yes.

While it’s technically possible to set up a Power of Attorney without a solicitor, it’s highly advisable to seek legal support. Using a solicitor is the most efficient means of setting up a Power of Attorney and the safest. Not only will the process be quicker, but a solicitor will ensure that any order is set up in the best interests of the donor.

How Can Our Power of Attorney Solicitors Help?

Our highly specialised wills, trust & probates solicitors can help you appoint a Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA) and discuss all the options available to you. Through our advice, you’ll be best placed to make the best decision and plan for your specific circumstances. For both types of LPA, you must instruct someone who you fully trust to act on your behalf or you can give them specific guidance in regards to your wishes. Our expert Court of Protection solicitors can also offer advice and guidance if you would like to make a deputyship application.

All of our Power of Attorney UK solicitors are either STEP qualified or training to become STEP qualified, which is an advanced professional qualification to make sure we are in the best position to help you. We are also members of Solicitors of the Elderly, an independent national organisation of lawyers who provide specialist legal advice for older and vulnerable people, their families and carers.

Start the process of appointing your Power of Attorney today

To get started, simply contact one of our power of attorney UK solicitors to discuss how you can plan forward. You can call us on 0161 930 5151, email actonit@gorvins.com or fill in the online contact form and we’ll be in touch.