The Office of the Public Guardian, or OPG, helps people in England and Wales stay in control of important decisions about their health, welfare, and finances. It also steps in to support those who can no longer make decisions for themselves. Here are some more details about what the Office of the Public Guardian does.
Supporting People
The OPG makes sure people can plan ahead by registering Enduring or Lasting Powers of Attorney, which allow someone to choose who will act for them if they lose mental capacity. If this happens, the OPG supports those chosen or appointed by the courts to make decisions on that person’s behalf. Its work is carried out under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Guardianship Missing Persons Act 2017.
What the OPG Does
The OPG is responsible for keeping official registers of attorneys, guardians and deputies and for supervising deputies appointed by the Court of Protection. Deputies must usually send annual financial reports, which the OPG checks to make sure decisions are being made in the best interests of the person they represent.
The OPG also investigates concerns about attorneys, deputies or guardians. If there are worries about abuse or money being misused, it can act quickly and, if necessary, ask the Court of Protection to remove them.
To set up a UK power of attorney, specialist sites like https://powerofattorneyonline.co.uk make the process simple.
Priorities
Today, the OPG is focusing on improving digital services, working with partner organisations, and making sure its services are accessible to all.
