Contents:
- Editor's welcome
- Paul Waugh: From Rochdale to Westminster
- Rachel Winnard: One in Two Million
- Rochdale Sixth Form College wins at prestigious Further Education awards
- Rev Mark Coleman
- Baillie Street Quarter
- Touchstones reopens with new exhibitions
- Greater Manchester Fire Service Museum
- Highlights of a Mayoral Year
- Fancy dress posties raise £1,700 for MIND
- John Swinden’s Captain Tom 100 challenge
- Littleborough’s Tackling Minds to become first organisation to work with NHS in prescribing angling
- Keith Hicks retires after 33 years of service at RAFC
- Bid for local digital radio signal
- Carpet Creations celebrates 25 years in business
- Help fill Springhill’s gardens with sunflowers in memory of your loved ones
- Local author reminisces about Rochdale high streets in the 80s and 90s in new book
- After the storm, the healthy hazy days of summer
- Rochdale Heartbeat honoured with Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service
- Ian Jenkins: Forty Years of Making Music
- Hairdressing Trend - Babylights
- Lasting Power of Attorney »
- Cupcakes recipe
- Brown’s Cakes celebrates 10 years
- Beauty Feature: Coming back strong after lockdown
- Take a walk at Ealees
Summer 2021Lasting Power of Attorney
Lisa Davies, Solicitor at Molesworths Bright Clegg, explains the benefits of giving someone you trust the legal authority to make decisions on your behalf if you become unwell.
Who will win at the Oscars? How long will you live?
We can’t predict the future but we can overcome uncertainty by making a will, ensuring our wishes are carried out after our death.
How can we protect our future whilst living, though? We’re likely to live longer nowadays, which could mean losing capacity in later life and a longer period where you are incapable of making your own decisions on your health, welfare and financial affairs. You could also lose capacity at any time through accident or illness.
You might decide you no longer wish to manage your affairs and let someone else take care of them.
Like having insurance, you can prepare for the worst by appointing someone you trust to act for you under a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA). LPAs give your attorney power to help you to continue living, e.g. pay your bills, decide what care you need, pay for shopping etc. when you no longer have the ability or desire to do this yourself.
There are two types of LPA; one covers property and financial affairs, the other covers health and welfare. You can have the same or different attorney(s) for each LPA.
Losing capacity without having an LPA in place could mean a person needing to take charge over your finances, and sometimes health decisions, would need to apply to the Court of Protection for them to be appointed as a deputy for you. This is expensive and time consuming which would be avoided if you had an LPA in place. It could also be that the person applying to court might not be the person you would have chosen as your attorney.
The property and financial LPA allows attorney(s) to manage your bank accounts, claim your pension etc. They can also pay your bills and deal with your other affairs for you.
A health and welfare LPA allows attorney(s) to make necessary decisions regarding your care and medical treatment. Your attorney(s) would act in your best interests, consulting you when possible, carrying out your preferences and instructions and sticking to their legal responsibilities. This helps families in distressing circumstances, particularly if there could be a disagreement between family members.
LPAs must be made whilst you have mental capacity. Your solicitor will ensure you understand the consequences of drawing up an LPA and that you aren’t under any pressure or undue influence from any third party to make one.
Once your LPA(s) are completed and registered with the Office of the Public Guardian, you can be certain both your financial affairs and health and welfare will be taken care of by your chosen attorney(s). Registration can be completed immediately or upon losing capacity.
For peace of mind and, provided you have capacity to do so, an LPA can be cancelled or changed at any time after registration. Molesworths Bright Clegg are able to assist in the preparation and execution of your LPA and are happy to discuss options with you.