Powers of Attorney and Guardianships

If you wish someone else to manage your affairs, you may appoint an Attorney to do it for you. If a relative cannot look after their affairs, you may have to have the Court appoint someone to help: this person is a Guardian.

A Power of Attorney is a document appointing someone to act on your behalf for specific purposes. Rather like taking out an insurance policy, putting a Power of Attorney in place is a way to protect yourself in the future. If you do not have one in place, and become unable to manage your own affairs, the process of appointing a Guardian can be lengthy and expensive. It is also stressful for your family, especially at a time when they are already anxious about your welfare and your financial arrangements.

Therefore putting a Power of Attorney in place before you need one gives you the peace of mind that your affairs will be taken care of by people you trust, if you cannot take care of them yourself. It will also help your family in the future.

There are different types of Powers of Attorney, depending on your reasons for appointing one. If you are thinking of setting up a Power of Attorney or think a relative may need one, or if you think a relative needs a Guardian, we can talk through every aspect with you. We will then determine what would work best for you and your family.

As a starting point, we have put together a briefing on Powers of Attorney and Guardianships. You can download it here. Powers of Attorney [PDF - 232kB] Then come and talk to us.

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