Powers of attorney

This document allows you to draw up a general power of attorney authorising one or more persons to collect debts on your behalf – it is strictly limited to this one purpose. You might want to use this if, for example, you are too busy to chase your debts and you therefore wish to appoint another person to do this on your behalf. This power of attorney is automatically cancelled on your death, mental incapacity or if you become bankrupt. You can also revoke this general power of attorney in writing at any time.

If you are in Scotland, use this document to appoint up to 4 people (known as your attorneys) to look after your financial affairs and personal welfare (i.e. your health and social affairs).

You can choose whether you want your attorneys to be able to look after your financial affairs immediately, or only when 2 doctors certify that you're incapable of making these decisions for yourself. The welfare part of this power of attorney will only come into effect with this doctor certification.

To complete the power of attorney, you'll need a doctor, solicitor or advocate to meet with you and sign the certificate of capacity (also known as schedule 1). Please note it can be difficult to find someone who is willing to do this. They may charge a fee.

Note that once you've created your power of attorney, you will need to register it with the Public Guardian. They will charge a fee to do this.

An enduring power of attorney allows you to give others the legal ability to manage your affairs, if you ever become unable to manage them yourself or communicate your wishes, possibly as a result of ageing, mental illness or physical incapacity. This document allows you to nominate up to two attorneys. Please note that this document can only be used in Northern Ireland.

Granting a general power of attorney allows someone else (the appointed attorney) the authority to manage your (the donor's) affairs for a set period of time, for example, whilst overseas for a couple of years. This particular general power of attorney is suitable for use in England & Wales only. As a general power of attorney becomes invalid if you become mentally incapable, it is not suitable for managing the affairs of ailing relatives, unless they are of sound mind, and a lasting power of attorney should be used instead.

Granting a general power of attorney allows someone else (the appointed attorney) the authority to manage your (the donor's) affairs for a set period of time, for example, whilst overseas for a couple of years. This particular general power of attorney is suitable for use in Northern Ireland only.

As a general power of attorney becomes invalid if you become mentally incapable, it is not suitable for managing the affairs of ailing relatives, unless they are of sound mind, and an enduring power of attorney should be used instead.

Granting a general power of attorney allows someone else (the appointed attorney) the authority to manage your (the granter's) affairs for a set period of time, for example, whilst overseas for a couple of years. This particular general power of attorney is suitable for use in Scotland only. As a general power of attorney becomes invalid if you become mentally incapable, it is not suitable for managing the affairs of ailing relatives, unless they are of sound mind, and a continuing and/or welfare power of attorney should be used instead.

If some day you are no longer able to look after your own financial affairs, due to factors like illness, accident or the onset of dementia, a lasting power of attorney (LPA) will give that power to another person, called your 'attorney'. Once the power comes into effect, your attorney (or attorneys) will have the legal authority to act on your behalf in property and financial matters.

You will need to register your LPA with the Office of the Public Guardian, who will charge a fee for this. It is usually a good idea to do this straight away or soon after, and if you do then you will only need the first of the 2 documents in this pack: ‘LP1F Lasting power of attorney for property and financial affairs’. If however you want to delay registering it, you will also need to use the second document when you eventually want to register: ‘LP1F Registration sections’.

In either case, you may also need form ‘LP3 Notice of intention to register a lasting power of attorney’, which is available separately.

These documents can only be used in England or Wales.

If some day you are no longer able to look after your own health and welfare (i.e. your social and healthcare needs), a lasting power of attorney will give that power to another person, called your 'attorney'. Once the power comes into effect, your attorney (or attorneys) will have the legal authority to act on your behalf in matters relating to your health and welfare, subject to any restrictions you place on them. Your attorney(s) will only be able to act when you lack the capacity to do so yourself, for example, if you are ill, unconscious or because of the onset of a condition such as dementia.

You will need to register your LPA with the Office of the Public Guardian, who will charge a fee for this. It is usually a good idea to do this straight away or soon after, and if you do then you will only need the first of the 2 documents in this pack: ‘LP1H Lasting power of attorney for health and welfare’. If however you want to delay registering it, you will also need to use the second document when you eventually want to register: ‘LP1H Registration sections’.

In either case, you may also need form ‘LP3 Notice of intention to register a lasting power of attorney’, which is available separately.

These documents can only be used in England or Wales.

Before the registration of an EPA can proceed, notice must be served on the donor, at least three relatives of the donor and any attorney who is not applying. This document creates the required notice (EP1) before an EPA can be registered. This document should only be used for EPAs created in Northern Ireland and only if one or two attorneys are registering the EPA. It can only be used to notify up to 11 relatives.

Attorneys of an enduring power of attorney (EPA) which was created in Northern Ireland should use this document in order to register the EPA. This registration should take place as soon as the attorneys believe that the donor is becoming mentally incapable. Before this registration can take place, you must give notice of your intention to register the document and can do so by using the document 'EP1 - Notice of intention to register an EPA (Northern Ireland)'. This document can only be used to register an EPA that was created in Northern Ireland and is only suitable if one or two attorneys were named in the EPA and there are eleven or fewer relatives to notify. You should be sure to include the correct fee and the original EPA with your application.

Before registering a lasting power of attorney (LPA) you have to use this form to notify certain people of your intention to register it. These people, if any, will be listed in the LPA. This document will create a copy of the form for each person listed, for you to send to them.

Use this form to apply to the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) to remove (an 'exemption') or reduce (a 'remission') the fee for registering a Lasting power of attorney or Enduring power of attorney. You can apply for an exemption if the donor receives means-tested benefits. You can apply for a remission if the donor's gross annual income is less than £12,000 or if they receive Universal Credit. You'll need to send the form to the OPG together with the power(s) of attorney you wish to register, the appropriate registration documents and evidence of your eligibility. Even if you're registering 2 powers of attorney at the same time, you only need 1 LPA 120A form. This form is only for use in England & Wales.

If you are registering your power of attorney by post, you must complete this registration form and send it to the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG). It is only suitable for powers of attorney created in Scotland. You can use it to register a continuing power of attorney, welfare power of attorney, or a combined power of attorney. Note that if you have created separate ‘continuing’ and ‘welfare’ powers of attorney (rather than a combined version), you will need to complete this form twice.

You do not need this form if you register your power of attorney online via the OPG's Electronic Power of Attorney Registration service.

Use this document to cancel either a General power of attorney (sometimes called an Ordinary power of attorney), or an Enduring power of attorney (EPA).

If you want to revoke an EPA, you can only use this document if the EPA hasn't been registered - otherwise, you'll need to apply to either the Court of Protection (in England & Wales) or the Office of Care and Protection (in Northern Ireland).

Note that you can only use this document for powers of attorney created in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. You can't use it to revoke a Lasting power of attorney.