Changes to Enduring Power of Attorney

Significant changes are to be made in arranging Enduring Power of Attorney so that if necessary, in time to come, someone else such as a son or daughter has authority to deal with your affairs. The following is published on the government’s Public Guardianship Office website.
At the moment, if you want to give someone else authority to deal with your financial affairs you can make an Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA).  Following the Mental Capacity Act 2005, the law is changing and from October 2007 it will no longer be possible to make an EPA.  EPAs will be replaced by Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA).  Current proposals suggest that an LPA will be a significantly more complicated document.  It will be necessary to register the LPA at the Court (for which a fee is payable) before the LPA can be used for your financial affairs, even if you are mentally capable.  As a result the procedure is not only likely to be more complicated but also more expensive!
Therefore anyone considering making a Power of Attorney should act now and make an EPA before October 2007.

www.guardianship.gov.uk/