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MSE News: Martin Lewis: 'Let's make it easier for people in Scotland to use their Power of Attorney'
People in Scotland are being "sub-served" when they come to use their Power of Attorney compared with other UK nations, Martin Lewis has said. In a letter sent to the Scottish Government today (Thursday 5 February 2026), the MoneySavingExpert.com founder has urged for change to prevent unnecessary stress at what is…
Selling the family home for elderly parent's care, dilemma.
My brother moved into the house that our mother owns, a few years ago. He is unemployed and has paid no rent, and only made irregular contributions to bills. She now needs residential care and will be self-funding. She lacks mental capacity and I am her only LPA. As such I have responsibility to act in her best interests.…
Divorce and property takeover and capital gains tax
Marital home was purchased for £249,000 - 2024 - two years ago there was a seperation and the wife remained in the marital home while the husband moved out - the house was valued at £200,000 due to repairs that needed doing. The outstanding amount of the mortgage is £110,000 and the wife has secured a mortgage in her own…
Property Trusts in Scotland
Hello Forumites I am new to the Forum and am hoping to tap into your knowledge following the recent death of my father. He was only married once and is survived by my mother (90 years old), myself and my brother. They live in Scotland. Having 'evacuated the survivorship clause' in the house deeds, his will provides for a…
Name change & keeping professional identity
Could anyone share personal experience with changing your surname but keeping a professional identity under your former name? We both do very different work but it is locked quite significantly in our given names. I absolutely don't wish to and can't change my name in a professional capacity. My partner feels similarly.…
Power of Attorney online tool STILL not live – here's how the process is set to change in future
An online tool to apply for Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is still not available despite being announced over a year ago – and the Government has confirmed that it doesn't have a launch date. This means a tricky paper form remains the only way to apply for this crucial protection. Power of Attorney online tool STILL not…
Lack of family time starting to get to me
When my partner returned to work after our son was born, we agreed she would go back to work part time as our finances and childcare etc allowed this. I work Monday to Friday in a 9-5 job, she went back to work and told her employer her availability was all day Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and she was available at a weekend…
Options we have for a distant MIL
Hello! Apologies If this isn't the right place. I've got a slightly awkward situation involving my wife and technically MiL. For various reasons my wife has been no contact with her mum for many many years. She's in the past few years gone through some specialist therapy and has semi recently been in contact over email,…
Inheritance implications of parents living with me
Hello Forumites, I may have found the answer elsewhere, but appreciate the knowledge and experience of you lovely people! My elderly parents own a house worth around £500k which they have lived in since year dot. They are still in good health, but my family are moving away to a house that has a self-contained flat. We are…
Buying my long term partner's share of house and mortgage
I would like to buy my partner's share of the house. How do I go about it? As an example the house is worth £360K with £60k left on the mortgage. The mortgage and ownership is split 50/50. We are not married. My new partner and I would like buy my partner's share outright less £30k my partner owes on the outstanding…
Questions to ask to understand parents finances
Hi, my parents are competent and pretty self sufficient, but are aging and do have a few physical limitations, with my father's memory also not being great. My father has always been the one who manages their money, investments, bills, etc, as my mother has had no interest in this. Over the last couple of years they have…
Lasting Power of Attorney - activation key
Hi - my wife and I Lasting Power of Attorneys has been registered. In letters from OPG confirming registration they have given me an activation key to add the LPA to online account, both my LPA as donor, and my wife's as attorney. When do I use the activation key? We don't want to 'activate' the LPAs - i.e. we don't need…
Mum's care team asking me to give up power of attorney so that local authority oversees finances
My 85 year old mother is bipolar and has had dementia for a few years now, though it is advancing slowly and she still is able to take care of herself. She lives in her home on her own since my dad died 12 years ago - she was mentally and physically abusive to him for many years, and unfortunately transferred the mental…
Financial Advice - Elderly parent care
Hi, how do we choose someone who can provide sensible financial advice for how we look after my dad please? Everyone seems to have different advice! (that always seems to benefit them funnily enough). Happy to pay for independent advice. How much should we budget for this? He's 80yo with severe dementia. His health has…
Deprivation of assets question: Related hypothetical question
lRe the post: ""transfered mother in laws house to my wife and sister 15 years ago to avoid future care home costs" does not apply to me but has got me thinking. With no intention of cheating, and, not now or in the past being eligible for or claiming government means tested benefits, some years ago and long before my…
transfered mother in laws house to my wife and sister 15 years ago to avoid future care home costs
My mother in law was widowed 15 years ago. We felt it was prudent to transfer house ownership to my wife and her sister to avoid any future issues with future care home costs. In November 2025 my MIL was struggling to live on her own so was put into a care home. No chance of her returning to her house I'm afraid, so we…
Cancelled Family Court Hearing
About two months ago, the Oxford Family Court cancelled my daughter's Two DayaFinal Childrens' Matters Hearing 48 hours beforehand because of a shortage of judges. My daughter still lost between £7,900 in legal fees because her barrister had already booked two days to be in court. I understand all my daughter is able to do…
Implications of my mum giving or lending me money to buy my husband out of our house
Hello, my husband and I are separating and have agreed he will keep all our cash and I will keep the house, however, I need an additional £45,000 to do this. My mum has said she will give or lend me this amount, which ever is preferable. Can anyone in this forum advise if there will be any tax implications and how best to…
Inherited premium bonds - can they be given away without it being seen as a deprivation of assets?
My elderly mother is 85 and has inherited £17,300 from my late father's premium bonds. Can my mother gift some of this money to her grandchildren or would this be looked on as a deprivation of assets if she needed to go into a care home in the future? At present she lives in her own home and there is no immediate sign that…
Online LPA, timescales
I have just completed an online LPA for myself and having got all the signatures after a family gathering at Christmas sent it off for them to register. I am aware that if you don't return it within 42 days (from December 12th in my case) they refund your payment. I sent it tracked and it was delivered by Royal Mail on…