Support for Family Carers and Attorneys

How Our Later Life Planning Team Can Help

We realise that every family’s circumstances are different. Some people come to us before they have any formal authority, because they are worried about how they will cope if a parent’s memory declines. Others have been acting as an attorney for years and want reassurance that they are keeping proper records. Some need help because relationships within the family have become strained or communication has broken down. Our private client and court of protection solicitors regularly advise on matters including, but not limited to:

• Support for Family Carers
• Guidance for Attorneys and Deputies
• Mediating Family Disputes
• Professional Deputyship Services

Support for Family Carers

Many carers are surprised to learn that being next of kin gives them no automatic right to manage a relative’s money or make decisions on their behalf. If your loved one still has mental capacity, the most important step is often to help them put Lasting Powers of Attorney in place while they are still able to do so. If capacity has already been lost, there are other routes, and we can guide you through the relevant and appropriate options available. You could become a DWP appointee to manage their benefits or apply to the Court of Protection for a deputyship order. We can help assess your situation and explain which option suits your circumstances. We can also talk through related concerns, such as whether their Will is up to date and how care costs might affect the family home.

Guidance for Attorneys and Deputies

Being appointed as an attorney or deputy shows that someone trusts you. It also comes with responsibilities that are easy to get wrong through no fault of your own. You must:

• act in the person’s best interests and involve them in decisions as far as you can
• keep their money separate from your own
• keep clear records of what is spent and why

There are also firm limits on making gifts, even modest ones to family members, and some decisions need the approval of the Court of Protection before they go ahead. Deputies have further obligations, including reporting to the Office of the Public Guardian each year and, in many cases, taking out a security bond.

Our team can walk you through your duties from the outset, ensuring you understand the various obligations required. We can also help attorneys and deputies with specific decisions, such as selling a property to fund care, and answer your questions as they arise, so you are never left guessing.

Mediating Family Disputes

Overseeing decision-making or caring for an older relative can put strain on even the closest families. Disagreements often arise over where a parent should live, how their money is being spent, whether an attorney is acting properly, or who should be making decisions at all. If these disputes are left unresolved, they can damage relationships for good, and some end up before the Court of Protection.

Wherever possible, we encourage families to settle their differences through discussion and mediation. This is usually quicker, less costly and far less stressful for everyone, including the person at the centre of it. We can advise you on your position and help you find a constructive way forward. Where concerns are more serious, such as suspected financial abuse, we can advise on raising them with the Office of the Public Guardian or making an application to the court.

Professional Deputyship Services

Sometimes there is no family member who is willing or able to act as a deputy. In other cases, a person’s affairs are complex enough that professional involvement is the sensible choice, or family tensions make it difficult for one relative to take on the role fairly. In these situations, the Court of Protection can appoint a professional deputy, such as a solicitor, to manage the person’s property and financial affairs.

At Bowsers Solicitors, we have regulated legal practitioners and solicitors who can act as a professional deputy. That means managing day-to-day finances, dealing with property, paying care fees and reporting to the Office of the Public Guardian, while keeping family members informed and involved. We can also help families who already have a professional deputy in place and would like to understand how the arrangement works.

Working Alongside Our Private Client Services

Supporting a loved one in later life often touches on several areas of law at once. Our private client team can also advise you on:

• Wills – ensuring your estate is distributed according to your wishes
• Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs) – appointing trusted individuals to make decisions on your behalf
• Court of Protection & deputyship matters – where decisions need to be made for someone who lacks capacity
• Trusts – protecting assets and managing wealth effectively
• Later Life Planning – the wider framework for protecting your finances, property, and wellbeing as you grow older. 

By coordinating these services, we help make sure your loved one’s arrangements are consistent and that you have the authority you need to act for them.

Local Elderly Client Solicitors

From our offices in Wisbech and March, Bowsers Solicitors has supported families across Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire and Norfolk for many years. Many of the people we help are sons, daughters, siblings, and spouses who are balancing caring responsibilities with work and family life of their own. We understand how tiring that can be, and how much it matters to get things right for someone you love.

We will explain your options in plain language, give you honest answers and be here for you whenever questions come up, not just at the start.

Speak to Our Later Life Planning Solicitors in Wisbech and March

If you are caring for a loved one or acting as their attorney or deputy and would like advice, please contact our experienced team today on 01945 583194 (Wisbech) or 01354 652606 (March), or email reception@bowsers.co.uk. Alternatively, you can fill in our contact form.