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Lasting Powers of Attorney
It’s reassuring to know that if you’re unable to make key decisions for yourself in the future, you can choose someone you trust to make them for you, such as a family member or close friend.
Making a LPA will ensure that the person you’ve chosen will legally be able to make decisions on your behalf. You can choose more than person including how they should work together. There are two kinds of LPA, one for decisions around Property and Finance, and another for Health and Welfare.
How can we help?
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Mental Capacity Assessment for Lasting Powers of Attorney
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Mental Capacity Assessment to "activate" Lastign Powers of Attorney
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Mental Capacity Assessment to "activate" Enduring Powers of Attorney
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Certificate provider services
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Witness Services
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Video-Link and Face-to-Face Options are available.
Your Questions Answered
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What to expect
Our assessments usually take around an hour and our friendly, experienced social workers do their best to make sure it’s a comfortable and relaxed experience. We’re accredited expert mental capacity assessors, so you’re in good hands.
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Can we act as Certificate Provider?
If we are comepltign a mental capacity assessment, then we can act as a certificate provider at no extra charge; however, if there are no doubts about capacity, we can still act as a certificate provider at a reduced cost; this service also includes a short reprot answering the questions commonly asked by the Office of Public Guardian.
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I have an enduring power of attorney can you help activate it?
Yes. With an enduring power of attorney, we can complete a mental capacity assessment to determine whether a person has the sufficient mental capacity to manage their finances independently.
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What happens if soemone lacks capacity to grant lasting power of attorney?
While we always work to support a person to make their own decision, sometimes, due to the severity of their impairment, someone may be unable to grant lasting power of attorney. In these cases, we always try to ensure we have enough evidence, where possible, to complete a COP3 Deputyship form to allow family/friends to apply for deputyship.
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Who can complete a mental capacity assessment?
In cases involving complex or major decisions you may need to get a professional opinion. The assessor must be an impartial, qualified professional, such as a doctor, nurse, or social worker.
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Can we complete video-link or face to face assessments?
We can visit you in your own home or any other suitable space you feel most comfortable and at a time of your choosing. In those instances where face-to-face assessments aren't viable, we offer a fully secure video-link assessment service.
Accreditations
Social Work England is a specialist body taking a new approach to regulating social workers in their vital roles. All of our Social Workers are registered with Social Work England for your peace of mind.
Our assessors are accredited Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) assessors with specific experience in completing capacity assessments and specialist reports.
All of our assessors have undergone extra training to become accredited financial vulnerability experts according to Lichtenberg standards, so they can provide even more detailed reports on mental capacity.
TESTIMONIALS
CASE STUDY
Mrs Shah called regarding her husband, who had recently been diagnosed with dementia; Mrs Shah had been advised by her solicitor she would need to consider applying to the court of protection for a deputyship order. However, Mrs Shah believed her husband had sufficient capacity to grant lasting power of attorney.
Our Social Worker attended to Mr Shah at his home and explained in simple, easy-to-understand terms the specific details of a lasting power of attorney for finances. Throughout the assessment Mr Shah was clear that he wished for his wife and his son to be his attorneys; Mr Shah explained he also had a daughter, although his daughter lived in America, and the distance alone would prevent her from being able to support him.
Regardless of his diagnosis Mr Shah was able to evidence his understanding of the relevant information for granting lasting power of attorney; our social worker contacted the solicitor to advise whom then drafted lasting power of attorney documents.
