Lasting Power of Attorney - don't have anyone suitable

Nuinmar

England: Wills & Probate, specifically LPAs.

I am sorting out my will and the advisors strongly recommend drawing up 2 LPAs, one for health/welfare and the other for finances.

The issue is that I do not really have anyone I could name as attorneys on these LPAs. I have very few family members and they are all elderly / impaired. I do have some friends but they are likewise.

My advisors will be the executors of my will. My funeral is paid for. I have made an "Advance Decisions" document. My estate will be left to charities.

Can I get suggestions for people who I could appoint as LPAs? Would a solicitor be able to do this (I understand that would incurr costs). Or do I really need these LPAs at all? Thanks for any guidance.

Marcon

Nuinmar said:

England: Wills & Probate, specifically LPAs.

I am sorting out my will and the advisors strongly recommend drawing up 2 LPAs, one for health/welfare and the other for finances.

The issue is that I do not really have anyone I could name as attorneys on these LPAs. I have very few family members and they are all elderly / impaired. I do have some friends but they are likewise.

My advisors will be the executors of my will. My funeral is paid for. I have made an "Advance Decisions" document. My estate will be left to charities.

Can I get suggestions for people who I could appoint as LPAs? Would a solicitor be able to do this (I understand that would incurr costs). Or do I really need these LPAs at all? Thanks for any guidance.

It's far from unknown for a trusted solicitor to be appointed - plenty of people are in your situation. 

Do you need LPAs? Your call; but think what would happen if you were incapacitated by, say, a stroke - would you want the local authority taking decisions on your treatment and where you'd live?

Nuinmar

Thank you, I'll talk to a solicitor. 

Pennylane

Just pondering .... if you had a severe stroke and were suddenly unable to communicate how would you be able to tell anybody that LPA was in place anyway?  

kuratowski

An LPA is registered with the Office of the Public Guardian at the time it is drawn up.  They maintain a register, which can be searched.

elsien

I’ve known solicitors to act as finance LPA but never for welfare. 

Pennylane

kuratowski said:

An LPA is registered with the Office of the Public Guardian at the time it is drawn up.  They maintain a register, which can be searched.

But if you have no relatives and end up in hospital or a care home I can’t see them having the time to do searches.  

elsien

It takes 5 minutes to complete the form and send it to OPG to check. Given that if making a best interests decision for someone in hospital, one of the questions is "is there an LPA" there is no reason (unless it's an emergency) not to be able to check but I am aware from my own job that hospitals and care homes often don't.
Or they presume that a financial LPA is for health and welfare as well.