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Most people in the United Kingdom rely on bank accounts, debit cards and credit cards to manage their everyday finances. Our savings and income are also likely to be held securely in bank accounts, allowing us to pay for food, household bills, clothing and other everyday expenses.
It can be difficult to think about a time when you may no longer be able to manage these things yourself. However, a Property and Financial Affairs Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) allows you to appoint people you trust to help manage your money, property and financial affairs if you need assistance in the future.
This can include managing your bank accounts, paying bills and care fees, dealing with your property and making other financial decisions on your behalf.
Here are three situations that demonstrate why having a Lasting Power of Attorney in place can be important.
A Deed of Variation is a legal document that allows beneficiaries to alter the distribution of a deceased person’s estate under a Will or the rules of intestacy, provided it is completed within two years of the Testator’s death.
A Deed of Variation can be used to:
Whether you are considering a Deed of Variation for tax planning or family reasons, it is important to understand how they work and the legal requirements involved.
A Property and Financial Decisions Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a legal document that allows you to appoint one or more trusted people (known as your attorneys) to manage your financial affairs if you need assistance now or lose mental capacity in the future.
A Property and Financial Decisions LPA can allow your attorneys to:
It does not cover decisions about your health, care or medical treatment. These decisions require a separate Health and Welfare Lasting Power of Attorney.
Enduring Powers of Attorney (EPAs) are no longer available to create, having been replaced by Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs) in October 2007. However, if you made a valid EPA before this date, it may still be legally effective today.
Many people are unsure how EPAs work, when they need to be registered and whether they should be replaced with an LPA. Here are five facts that may surprise you.
 Taking children abroad after separation can raise important legal and practical questions for parents, particularly during school holidays and half-term breaks. Understanding when consent is required and what steps to take if disputes arise can help avoid unnecessary stress and last-minute issues.
As the summer holidays approach, many separated parents begin making travel plans with their children. While a holiday abroad is often something to look forward to, it can raise important legal issues where parents are no longer together. If both parents hold parental responsibility, there are clear legal requirements that must be followed before a child can be taken outside of England and Wales.
As a collaboratively trained family lawyer at Thorneycroft Solicitors, I am passionate about helping clients navigate separation in a way that prioritises their emotional wellbeing, understanding and long-term practical outcomes.
Collaborative family law offers a constructive alternative to the traditional court process, placing families firmly at the centre of decision-making and encouraging a more cooperative approach to resolving disputes.
Mother’s Day is often portrayed as a joyful celebration, a day filled with cards, breakfast in bed and family time. However, for many separated parents, Mother’s Day can also be one of the most emotionally challenging days of the year. For some mothers, it may be a day when they are not able to see their children at all.
While the focus of Mother’s Day is rightly on celebrating motherhood, it is also worth recognising that for many families navigating separation, the day can look very different.
Valentine’s Day is that gloriously romantic time of year when lovebirds everywhere exchange gifts. But while romance is in the air, love doesn’t always come with a user manual, particularly when life starts to involve shared homes, finances and plans for the future.
The government has announced further amendments to its proposed reform of agricultural and business property relief (APR and BPR), following sustained engagement with stakeholders in the farming and business communities. These changes materially alter the scope of the measures originally announced and will be of particular interest to landowners, family businesses and their advisers.
