What is power of attorney?
A power of attorney is a legal document that allows one person (the donor) to give someone else (the attorney) the right to make legal or financial decisions on their behalf.
A a donor, you can appoint one or more attorney.
This can be a temporary arrangement or, something put in place for the longer term. The power of attorney is valid until the donor passes away.
Types of power of attorney
There are three main types of power of attorney:
Lasting power of attorney (LPA)
You can only set up an LPA when you have mental capacity. An LPA must be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) before it can be used.
The Power of Attorney may state that it cannot be used by the Attorney prior to the Donor losing their capacity.
Ordinary power of attorney (OPA) or General power of attorney (GPA)
An OPA is typically used if you need someone else to handle your affairs for a temporary period of time while you still have mental capacity. It's sometimes referred to as a general power of attorney.
You can still handle your own affairs when you want to. The OPA becomes invalid if you lose mental capacity.
Find out more about OPAs open_in_new
Enduring power of attorney (EPA)
EPA was replaced by LPA in October 2007. Existing EPAs are still valid, but they need to be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian if the donor loses capacity
Registering a power of attorney
To register a power of attorey on an existing savings account or mortgage, you'll need to complete an application form and send us some ID documents for you and your attorney(s).
As an attorney, you can open an account under a power of attorney.
Common questions
Yes - as a donor, you can choose anyone to act as your attorney, as long as they're 18 or older.