By creating a power of attorney you can appoint someone to make decisions on your behalf, should you become unable to. We can help you create either type of lasting power of attorney – one that protects your property and finances and another for decisions regarding your health and welfare.

Lasting powers of attorney can include different options, so we’ll walk you through and advise on the benefits and implications of each, prepare your documentation and then help register it with the Office of the Public Guardian.

We can also advise the people you choose to act under your Power of Attorney.

If someone you care about loses the ability to make decisions for themselves and they don’t have a power of attorney in place, you can apply to the Court of Protection to appoint a deputy.

The first step is to assess their level of capacity and establish to what degree they can look after themselves. We work with you, your family and, where appropriate, medical practitioners to determine what help is needed.

We can file the court application, support the deputy once they’re appointed and help with any future applications you may need to make.

If you’re thinking of applying to the Court of Protection to appoint a deputy to manage someone's affairs but don’t have anyone suitable, you can put forward one of our team.

As an appointed deputy, we would become a fundamental part of their support team and have responsibility for managing their affairs. That means we’d help manage their finances, make day-to-day decisions and do anything else required under the Mental Capacity Act 2005, such as preparing and filing their accounts.

If you want to make provisions in your will for someone with a long-term illness or disability, you’ll need to take the right steps so as not to impact any eligibility they might have for external support and cause instability.

Creating a trust, either during your lifetime or contained in your will, can help overcome these problems. We’ll advise on the best options, which will depend on the needs of the beneficiary and the situation that they are currently in.

You can use trusts in a wide range of family, commercial and financial situations to protect your assets and minimise your tax liabilities. Their terms and flexibility can vary a lot.

Whilst HMRC recognises a vulnerable person’s trust status, the choice of trust, its tax treatment and the technical jargon make it tricky to navigate. Our Vulnerable People team advise you on the options available and help prepare the trust that best meets your and your beneficiary’s needs.