MORE and more people are turning to a special legal measure to help them ensure their affairs are in order, according to a Redditch legal expert.
Sara Simson, of law firm FBC Manby Bowdler, has seen a sharp rise in the number of people inquiring about Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA) since the March lockdown.
LPAs allow a person to appoint someone they trust to act on their behalf should they lose the ability to make decisions for themselves – covering issues such as money, property and health.
Sara, a member of the law firm’s wills, probate and lifetime planning team, said up to 90 per cent of clients making wills in recent months had also included an LPA as part of their planning.
“There has been a sharp increase in the number of LPAs being signed over the past five years generally, but we have seen this accelerate in the light of the pandemic,” she said.
And whilst LPAS might formerly have been reserved for the elderly, the Church Road law firm is now seeing much younger clients making use of them.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has certainly focussed people’s minds on making sure they have their affairs in order and that their assets are protected,” added Sara.
“We have all seen how quickly life can change for any of us.”
