Page 70 • The HERALD • 11th July 2024 v WE’VE BEEN YOUR LOCAL SINCE 1994 v ASK A PROFESSIONAL WHY ESTABLISH A LASTING POWER OF ATTORNEY by Heritage Will Writing No-one likes to think about losing the ability to manage their own a airs, but approximately 820,000 people in this country have some form of dementia. Many others su er from strokes, brain injuries or have mental health conditions, and the truth is there are many things that can impact on someone’s ability to look a er their own a airs - regardless of age. In fact, you almost certainly know someone in this situation. Whilst it’s an uncomfortable thought - and no-one ever believes it will happen to them - around 2 million people in the UK lack mental capacity and it’s something that can happen to anyone, at any time. A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) prepares for the eventuality, and whilst this article covers some of the basics, a more detailed explanation can be found by visiting www.heritagewillwriting.co.uk. Lasting Powers of Attorney – e Basics • A Lasting Power of Attorney is a legal document that lets you ‘the donor’ appoint one or more people (‘the attorneys’) to help you make decisions or to make decisions on your behalf. e important thing is that you get to choose who will act on your behalf, and you are able to choose people you can trust - people that will ful l their legal responsibility to act in your best interest • If you lose mental capacity and don’t have a Lasting Power of Attorney in place, the Court of Protection will appoint a Deputy to manage your a airs on your behalf. is will involve signi cant legal fees, including annual supervision fees of up to £800, application fees, doctors certi cation fees, a security bond, a deputy fee and a long delay before the Deputyship Order is issued • It’s a common misconception that, in the absence of a Lasting Power of Attorney, your partner or close family member (next of kin) can make decisions on your behalf when you are no longer able to do so - this isn’t the case • It’s another popular common misconception that joint bank accounts can still be used when one of the account holders loses capacity. is isn’t true - in practice, the bank will freeze joint bank accounts, unless there’s a Lasting Power of Attorney in place. For most people trying to deal with a partner that has lost capacity, this represents a signi cant issue • ere are two types of Lasting Power of Attorney, one covers your property and nancial a airs, and the other covers your health and welfare. Many people assume that those making the nancial decisions also make decisions relating to health and care - this isn’t the case, which is why we highly recommend having both types in place • You can apply limits to the authority your attorneys have, if appropriate • Lasting Powers of Attorney replaced the Enduring Powers of Attorney (EPA) in October 2007 If you need any help or advice with regards to preparing your Lasting Powers of Attorney, please contact us on 023 8087 9243 or email: info@ heritagewillwriting.co.uk Barratt Homes Team Abseil Spinnaker Tower and Raise £4,240 for Charity Barratt Homes’ Southampton Division has been scaling new heights for charity, as seven of its employees took on a jawdropping abseil down Portsmouth’s Spinnaker Tower in aid of Saints Foundation. Eager to raise some vital funds for the charity of Southampton Football Club, the housebuilding team headed to Gunwharf Quays to take on the huge 170-metre climb down the popular Portsmouth landmark. All harnessed up, the plucky team made the nerve-wracking abseil while a crowd gathered below. And, with all the Barratt workers completing the challenge, the team raised a staggering £4,240 for Saints Foundation. Barratt Homes wants to help organisations looking a er local people, and the developer has been a supporter of Saints Foundation for many years. e charity looks a er several projects which are transforming the lives of people who need it in the region. Megan Hamlyn, Barratt Homes Marketing Manager, was one of the brave abseiling employees on the day. She said: “We’ve worked with Saints Foundation for a long time and have seen first-hand the work they do in the community. We want to continue to show our support and thought this Spinnaker Tower abseil would be the perfect fundraiser. It was terrifying, but knowing we were raising money for such an incredible charity made it all worthwhile. I am so proud of us all.” Barratt now has its employees back with their feet rmly on the ground, and the developer will be looking ahead to the next way it can show its support for charities in the region. Saints Foundation is the charity of Southampton Football Club, which provides life-changing opportunities to help the city and its communities thrive.
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