Answer
There are two categories of Power of Attorney: Ordinary, and Lasting which is the most usual form. Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) must be drawn up whilst the person, known as the ‘donor’, still has the mental capacity to authorise who may make decisions on their behalf if they lose the ability to do so for themselves. In addition, there are two kinds of LPA – you can make one or both types. The Health and Welfare LPA allows decisions to be made about, for example, your medical care, moving into a care home and accepting/refusing life-sustaining treatment, whereas the Property and Financial Affairs LPA covers decisions about money and property. An Ordinary Power of Attorney is a legal document which allows someone to act on your behalf concerning your finances whilst you still have the mental capacity to monitor what they are doing – for example if you had to go into hospital.