Property and Affairs Lasting Power of Attorney

A property and affairs LPA cover decisions about your finances and property. If there comes a time when you can’t manage your finances anymore, the person you appoint as your attorney will be able do this for you. This can include paying your bills, collecting your income and benefits, or selling your house. However, if you want to, you can limit the decisions they can make, or place conditions on what they can do.

Once registered, a property and affairs LPA can be used even if you are still able to deal with these things yourself.

Health and Welfare Lasting Power of Attorney

A health and welfare LPA allow the attorney to make decisions on your behalf about your health and welfare, if there comes a time when you are unable to make these decisions for yourself. A health and welfare attorney could make decisions about where you live, for example, or your day-to-day care, including your diet and what you wear.

You can also give your health and welfare attorney the power to accept or refuse life-sustaining treatment on your behalf. You will be asked whether you wish to do this or not on the form, and you will need to state your intention clearly.

As with a property and affairs LPA, a health and welfare LPA can only be used once it has been registered at the OPG. However, in contrast to the property and affairs LPA, it cannot be used while you still have the mental capacity to make decisions about your own welfare or treatment.