We all need Power of Attorney. It is like an insurance for peace of mind

After arranging a “thorough Will” which cost “much less” than a previous one, Ann Strain knew exactly where to turn for a Power of Attorney – ILAWS Scotland.

The retiree from Lanarkshire knows all about the issues that NOT having written a POA can cause, having worked in customer service for three decades. Often she would be contacted by the account holder’s family members – but could not deal with their issue because they were not legally named as attorney.

A Power of Attorney gives a trusted family member, or friend, the ability to make decisions about your finances, treatment or wellbeing on your behalf if you become incapacitated.

Mrs Strain explained that she and her husband have named their two daughters as their attorneys, which is a huge weight off their mind.

Ann, 66, explained:

“The thing that frightened me most was that I would be unable to access funds from our joint bank account if anything happened to my husband – as the account would be frozen. I wasn’t aware of that.”

This was explained in detail to Mr and Mrs Strain during their appointment with ILAWS.

Ann added: “When we spoke to ILAWS everything was so clearly explained. We dealt with George and Tony and their manner was very pleasant, courteous and helpful. Never did we feel it was ‘sales-y’ – it was purely to cater for our needs.

“Arranging our Will and Power of Attorney with ILAWS was a very pleasant experience and any dealings I have had with them since were not a bother.”

Mrs Strain has since recommended ILAWS to her younger brother, nine years her junior, and has no hesitation in passing this on to others: “The prices first attracted me to ILAWS – I already had a Will in place, which was three times the cost of a more thorough ILAWS Will.

“We all need Power of Attorney because it is like an insurance you take out. We all take our home insurance in the hope that our house doesn’t have a fire – it’s very similar to a POA.

“We are going to give our daughters power, in case anything goes wrong.

“My husband has already lost several siblings – you just don’t know what is around the corner. If the worst ever happened, we will be covered and looked after. Now my husband and I have peace of mind, and so do our daughters.”