Registration fees for making Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) arrangements are set to be cut by around 25 per cent.
The Government has confirmed that charges will be reduced from £110 to £82 and it is intended that this will take effect from April 1st.
The fall in fees comes at a time when politicians, charities and professional bodies are encouraging people to take steps to put a LPA in place.
The arrangement enables a loved one to take over responsibility for a person’s finances or welfare should they lose the mental capacity to make their own decisions at some point in future.
The issue has been brought to the fore largely because of increasing life expectancies and the fact that the proportion of elderly people developing conditions including dementia is rising in tandem.
The Alzheimer’s Society is one of the organisations which has been fighting to raise awareness of LPAs.
In guidance on the charity’s website, a spokesman said: “It can be reassuring to know that, if you are unable to make a decision for yourself in the future, the person you choose will make these decisions for you.
“Making an LPA now will make things easier for your family and friends in future. It will be more expensive, difficult and time-consuming for them to get the authority to act on your behalf when you are not able to give it.”
Figures suggest that the sustained push to improve awareness is working, with the number of LPAs approved each year increasing three-fold between 2010 and 2015.
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