A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) lets someone you trust make decisions on your behalf if you lose the mental capacity to make them yourself. Without one, a family can face a slow and costly court process at the worst possible time.
The two types
A property and financial affairs LPA covers bank accounts, bills and selling a home to pay for care. A health and welfare LPA covers care decisions and, if specified, life-sustaining treatment.
Why timing matters
An LPA can only be set up while the person still has mental capacity. Waiting until after a diagnosis of dementia or a health crisis can mean it is too late, forcing the family into a deputyship application through the Court of Protection — slower and more expensive.
How to set one up
You can complete the forms yourself through the Office of the Public Guardian, or use a solicitor for a more complex family situation. Registration takes several weeks, so start well before it is needed.
How to use this guide in practice
Don’t read this as general information — use it as a worksheet. Write down the details of the person who needs care, the current limits of the situation at home, the monthly budget, the documents you already have, whether a local-authority financial assessment may apply, and who you’ve already spoken with. Then turn every unclear point into a specific question. A family that arrives with a clear picture usually gets more useful answers than one calling under stress with scattered information.
Keep one simple rule: anything about admission, cost, funding, timelines and whether a care home fits must be confirmed directly with the care home or the competent authority serving your area. This guide prepares the search — it does not replace official decisions.
Want a clear shortlist before you start calling?
If you don’t know which care homes to contact first, Curalune Care Help can prepare an ordered shortlist of 3–5 suitable options — with CQC ratings, contacts, useful links and a ready-to-send inquiry.
The service helps you organise the search. It does not replace the care home’s own assessment and does not guarantee admission, price or bed availability.
Important limit
Curalune offers practical help with the search and orientation. Admission, pricing, bed availability and the final assessment always rest with the care homes and the competent authorities (the local authority, the NHS, the Care Quality Commission).