Since the pandemic, more and more people have decided to put their affairs in order, establishing / reviewing Wills and just as importantly, setting up Lasting Powers of Attorney so that those they trust can make vital decisions on their behalf.

This has placed the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) under enormous pressure and exceptionally lengthy delays for those needing to use these documents urgently.

Many legal service providers have looked to technology to help with the demand and the OPG is no exception, modernising Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) process and launching a new online tool to make it quicker and easier for attorneys to use an LPA to support the donor.

What does this new tool do?

Once an LPA is registered, attorneys and donors will be sent an activation key which allows them to create an online account and use the activation key to make an access code, which they can then to provide to organisations such as Banks so they can easily view an online summary of an LPA.

By allowing attorneys to submit the code to the online portal, this will nearly instantaneously confirm their status as an attorney and allow them to take actions on their loved one’s behalf and provide

Who can use this service?

Attorneys and donors with LPAs registered from 17 July 2020 will be able to use the online service. The OPG also have plans to open up the service to LPAs registered earlier in 2020 and some from 2019 but have not yet released a date for this.

By replacing the paper-based process, which can take weeks due to documents being requested and copies needing posted, this means that the speed in which decisions can be made will be drastically quicker.

Despite these changes, existing checks such as confirming whether a person has the legal right to act as an attorney and the powers they hold will remain firmly in place, ensuring that the vulnerable and elderly are still protected from the abuse of an Lasting Power of Attorney.

Have a look at our page dedicated to LPAs for an in-depth guide. 

For more information on placing YOUR affairs in order contact us now.