Choose who could help with important decisions if you need support in future. Discuss lasting powers of attorney with Legacy Wills and Probate, serving Bolton and Horwich.
Tell us what you would like help with. We can discuss your circumstances, the scope of the work and the next step.
Our principal office is in Bolton. Please contact the team to discuss consultation arrangements.
An accident or illness can make everyday decisions more difficult. A lasting power of attorney, usually called an LPA, lets you appoint people to help make decisions or act for you within the authority you give them. Making that choice involves more than putting a relative's name on a form.
Legacy Wills and Probate provides guidance on LPA applications for clients in Bolton, including Horwich. An initial discussion can focus on the decisions you are planning for, the people you trust and any concerns about how the arrangement would work. You must have the required mental capacity when making an LPA, so raise concerns about capacity at the outset.
A property and financial affairs LPA concerns matters such as money and property. A health and welfare LPA concerns personal decisions, such as care and treatment, and can only be used when you cannot make the relevant decision yourself. You can consider one type or both; they serve different purposes.
The government’s LPA guidance sets out the framework for England and Wales. Ask how your wishes, preferences or proposed instructions would affect the documents. Avoid assuming that the same wording or the same decision-makers will necessarily suit both types.
Discuss the responsibility with the people you hope to appoint. Consider their availability, judgement and willingness to keep records and involve you in decisions. If several people are proposed, think about how they would work together and what could happen if one became unable to act.
You can discuss replacement attorneys and how decisions should be made. GOV.UK’s guidance on choosing an attorney explains the options for acting together or separately. The legal effect can be important, so explain family tensions or practical difficulties before instructions are finalised.
Bring the proposed attorneys’ details, any existing powers of attorney and a note of your main questions. Discuss the signing sequence, certificate-provider requirements and registration with the Office of the Public Guardian. Registration is a separate stage: simply completing a draft does not mean an LPA is ready to use.
Official fees and processing times can change, and errors may cause delay. Ask what the proposed legal service includes and which official charges are additional. Our main power-of-attorney page explains the service; the team can discuss your own requirements before work begins.
Do not assume so. Being married does not by itself give someone the same authority as a registered LPA. Discuss the decisions involved and the arrangements already in place.
An attorney does not have to live locally. Consider the practicalities of the role, how easily they could help and whether they meet the legal requirements for the appointment.
An LPA cannot simply be made for them without the required capacity. Explain the situation promptly so the appropriate advice and any alternative legal route can be considered.
Explore wills, probate and estate planning for Bolton clients, or read our main service guidance.
