NEW POWER OF ATTORNEY LEGISLATION
As from April 2007 Enduring Powers of Attorney will not be available. The New Lasting Power of Attorney replaces it. The legal profession openly acknowledges that the new LPA is not as beneficial to individuals as the EPA.
The LPA gives Power of Attorney for all matters, Financial, Health and Welfare as opposed to an EPA that restricts power to Financial.
There is a danger the new LPA gives the Attorney potentially an unhealthy control over another's affairs.
Existing Enduring Powers of Attorney will still be valid after April 2006, but no new ones can be drawn up. The preferred option is to have separate Enduring Powers of Attorney and Advance Directives (Living Will), which keeps more realistic control over their future affairs should they become incapable of dealing with them and the right to refuse resuscitation or have medical procedures withdrawn as a separate issue.