A report published on the 2nd July 2018 by the Solicitors for the Elderly organisation warned that the UK is facing what it called a “dementia crisis” with approximately 12 million people who can be described as being of high risk of future incapacity not having prepared a Lasting Power of Attorney, which would ensure that their wishes were followed should the worst happen. Such concerns have also been echoed by organisations such as Age UK and the Alzheimer’s Society.
The report shows that 12.8 million people over the age of 65 run the risk of developing dementia, but there are only 928,000 LPAs currently registered with the Office of the Public Guardian.
Daniel Prince, Consultant Solicitor at Kirkham Legal in Royton says… “We always advise clients to give serious consideration to the preparation of Lasting Powers of Attorney, be they Financial Decisions or Health and Welfare, or indeed both. By preparing such documents, either by themselves or with the help of a lawyer, the individual can plan for who can make decisions for them in later life, how many people are to be appointed, and indeed the extent of the decisions that can be made. We always go through all of these points in interview with our clients, to ensure they fully understand both the process and options involved. Many clients express a sense of relief when the LPA has been registered, and liken it to taking out an insurance policy with a one-off premium to be paid, insuring against future incapacity. The whole process is not as complicated nor as expensive as people fear, and we therefore urge everyone to take action before it is too late.”
If you have want to speak to Daniel Prince, please contact him on 0161 393 2299 or by email daniel@kirkham-legal.co.uk
Our Practice Licence Number is 11250.
