Certificate Providers: Setting the Scene
When it comes to the granting of decision making powers under a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA), be they Property & Financial powers or Health & Welfare powers; in each case it takes three persons to make an LPA. The Donor creating the decision making powers in the first place, the Certificate Provider certifying the Donor’s capacity in delegating those powers, and the Attorneys carrying out the specified decisions on behalf of and when authorised to do so by the Donor. A Certificate Provider under an LPA, acts as an important safeguard in ensuring that the Donor had the necessary mental capacity when they signed the LPA. Donors must select one Certificate Provider for every LPA they create. What follows, is an exposition of the appointment of a Certificate Provider under an LPA document; including who can be one, who cannot be one, what they must do, and how they are expected to go about doing it.
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Categories: Who can be a Certificate Provider?
Certificate Providers must be at least 18 years of age, act independently in fulfilling their role, and not fall into one of the restricted categories (see ‘Constraints’ below). The Lasting Powers of Attorney, Enduring Powers of Attorney and Public Guardian Regulations 2007 state that a Certificate Provider can either be:
- Category A: Personal ‘knowledge-based’ Certificate Provider
Anyone who has known the Donor for at least two years before the date when the Certificate Provider signed and confirmed the Donor’s capacity. This can be a friend, neighbour, colleague, or former colleague of the Donor. It must be someone who is more than an acquaintance, who can have an honest conversation with the Donor about what it means to create an LPA. This can be one of the persons who Witnessed the LPA.
- Category B: Professional ‘skills-based’ Certificate Provider
Anyone who due to their professional training, reasonably believes they can make judgments as to the capacity or lack thereof of the Donor making the LPA. This can be a Medical professional (Doctor, GP), Legal professional, registered Social Worker, or an Independent Mental Capacity Advocate (IMCA). This can be the Estate Planner who helped complete and register the LPA on behalf of the Donor, as long as they reasonably believe to be able to judge the Donor’s capacity.
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Constraints: Who cannot be a Certificate Provider?
The following persons are excluded from acting as Certificate Providers for any LPA:
- an Attorney or replacement Attorney for that LPA.
- an Attorney or replacement Attorney in any other LPA or Enduring Power of Attorney the Donor made.
- a family member of the Donor or of their Attorneys’ families including wives, husbands, civil partners, in-laws and step-relatives.
- an unmarried partner, boyfriend or girlfriend of the Donor or of any of their Attorneys.
- a business partner of the Donor or their Attorneys’ business partners.
- an employee of the Donor or their Attorneys’ employees.
- an owner, manager, director or employee of a care home where the Donor lives or a family member of a person associated with the care home.
- anyone running or working for a trust corporation appointed as an Attorney in a Financial LPA.
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Capacity: How should a Certificate Provider assess capacity?
In order to assess the capacity of a Donor making an LPA, a Certificate Provider must be aware of the relevant 2-stage test for mental capacity under Sections 2(1) and 3(1)(a)-(d) of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (the Act). The first ‘Diagnostic’ test is concerned with whether there is an impairment or disturbance in the functioning of the Donor’s mind or brain. The second ‘Functional’ test is concerned with whether the impairment or disturbance is sufficient that the Donor lacks the capacity to make a particular decision. By way of guidance with the ‘Functional’ test, a Certificate Provider can assume that a Donor does not have capacity if they cannot: understand the information relevant to a decision, retain that information, weigh the information as part of a decision making process, or communicate that decision using any means. The Certificate Provider must also be aware of the Five Principles of capacity under Section 1(2)-(6) of that Act, which are as follows: (A) A Donor must be assumed to have capacity unless it is established that they lack capacity. (B) A Donor is not to be treated as unable to make a decision unless all practicable steps to help them do so have been taken without success. (C) A Donor is not to be treated as unable to make a decision merely because they make an unwise decision. (D) Any act done, or decision made, under this Act for or on behalf of a person who lacks capacity must be done, or made, in the Donor’s best interests. (E) Before the act is done, or the decision is made, regard must be had to whether the purpose for which it is needed can be as effectively achieved in a way that is less restrictive of the Donor’s rights and freedom of action.
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Certification: What must a Certificate Provider do?
Certificate Providers must sign and date Section 10 of the Donor’s LPA, and in doing so confirm that (1) the Donor understands the purpose and nature of the LPA created, (2) the Donor is under no fraud, pressure or undue influence in making the LPA, and (3) there is nothing else which would prevent the LPA from being created and registered. For an LPA to be successfully registered with the Office of The Public Guardian (OPG), the Certificate Provider must sign and date Section 10 on the same day or after the Donor has signed and dated Section 9 of the LPA.
Epilogue: Certificate Providers
For more information on Certificate Providers, please contact the Society of Will Writers on 01522 687 888, or read the OPG’s LP12 guidance ‘Make and Register your Lasting Power of Attorney’ Part A10 – Signature: Certificate Provider.
30 comments
Tehmton Sepai
11th April 2020 at 8:38 pm
My question:
Is a retired doctor who is not on the GMC register eligible to act in the role of Certificate provider?
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Siobhan Smith
14th April 2020 at 9:48 am
Hi Tehmton,
They would need to be a registered healthcare professional, so a retired doctor is unlikely to be able to act in the professional category. If they have known the donor of the LPA personally for at least 2 years they could act in this category instead though.
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sandra lloyd
18th January 2021 at 1:53 pm
do you need a certificate provider?
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Sam Smith
9th April 2021 at 3:33 pm
Hi Sandra,
Firstly apologies for the delay in our response. You do require a certificate provider as their role is to certify the donor’s capacity in making the LPA.
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RUTH JONES
28th March 2021 at 5:26 pm
Would you be able to help me on this point – if I prepare LPAs in my capacity as a member of the WWS can I also be the certified provider. I am a qualified Solicitor and am on the Roll of Solicitors. I have found nothing to say that I can’t – but I would like to know the rules on this…thank you.
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Sam Smith
9th April 2021 at 3:30 pm
Hi Ruth,
Thank you for your message and apologies for the delay in our response.
A certificate provider cannot be under the age of 18, a member of the donor’s or attorney’s family, a business partner or paid employee of the donor or attorney, the owner, director, manager or an employee of a care home in which the donor lives or their family member or a director or employee of a trust corporation.
As long as you don’t fall within the above categories, you can act as a certificate provider.
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Alec
17th April 2021 at 9:54 pm
Hi could a neighbour who has known my mum for years be the certificate provider on the power of attorney forms. Thanks.
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Manisha Chauhan
19th April 2021 at 9:18 am
Hi Alec,
Yes that’s absolutely fine. The requirement for a certificate provider is that it should either be someone the donor has known personally for a minimum of 2 years i.e. friend or neighbour, or someone with professional skills i.e. GP
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Jacqueline Daley-Alie
26th April 2021 at 2:16 pm
I have the college will writing insrusction form that I prpose to use. Can you clarify will I still need to print off the paper form provided on government website? Or is it sufficent that I just need to print off the section that relates to the Health Provider for the cleint to take to their GP ie friend or neigbour etc to complete and return to me?
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Siobhan Smith
28th April 2021 at 10:45 am
Hi Jacqueline, you will still need to use the prescribed LPA forms that you can find on the Government website as these are the official forms. The College instruction forms we provide are just to be used to collect the donor’s information initially.
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DAVID PRICE
3rd September 2021 at 4:27 pm
Does the certificate provider have any further duties or say in a LPA or are they merely there to certify your mental capacity.
I.e, do they have any powers within the LPA agreement or have any influence with/over the Attorneys’ actions?
Thanking you in advance
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Siobhan Smith
14th September 2021 at 2:20 pm
Hi David, the certificate provider has no further duties outside of confirming that the donor has capacity and is not subjected to any undue influence at the time the LPA is signed. They have no influence over any attorney’s decisions.
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Huma Ahmad
10th January 2022 at 7:41 pm
Hi, can you please advise: Who can act as a Certificate Provider if the donor does not have close friends/neighbours/colleagues as per Cat A ‘knowledge-based’; and her GP has said they do not provide this service if applying Cat B ‘skills based’. Does this imply we have to find a solicitor and pay a fee? Thank you
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Siobhan Rattigan-Smith
4th February 2022 at 1:10 pm
Hi Huma, If there is no one who can act in a personal capacity then this only leaves the option of appointing a professional. The professional must be someone who reasonably believes themselves to have the skills necessary to assess capacity. If the GP can’t act then other options are a solicitor, independent mental capacity advocates, or if the LPA has been professionally drafted by a Will Writer/Estate Planner they may provide the certificate.
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Stuart Simmons
14th February 2022 at 8:58 pm
Hi, what is the position if your certificate provider dies prior to you LPA being required. Also can the donor witness the certificate providers signature?
Thanks
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Siobhan Rattigan-Smith
8th March 2022 at 9:05 am
Hi Stuart, the certificate provider’s role is complete in relation to creation of the LPA once it is signed. If they die after signing but before the LPA is actually required then the LPA remains valid.
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Robert Blackledge
8th March 2022 at 8:54 am
If 12 months prior to my father signing the LPA to which my sibling has been assigned, he had been suffering with severe Mental Health Problems i.e. hallucinations etc and was under medical investigations, would it be possible for a Certificate Provider to deem my father of Full Mental Capacity to sign said form being of a non medical profession.
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Siobhan Rattigan-Smith
8th March 2022 at 9:03 am
Hi Robert, If the professional reasonably believes they have the skills necessary to assess capacity to make an LPA then they could act as a certificate provider, but I would suggest that in those circumstances it would be best practice for them to obtain a formal capacity assessment from a medical professional first.
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Ash Kumar
1st July 2023 at 12:23 pm
I have an interesting question if any one can help answer this.
The certificate provider in this instance is a company that created the Will and appointed themselves as Executors of a Discretionary Trust. I with the LPA instructed this Will writing company to do a Wil for my father. i explained what they said and my father signed which is the same a me signing with my LPA. I realise now that they committed fraudulent calumny in creating this WIll.
I am a Beneficiary under the Will.
Do I have the Legal standing the challenge this Will in that it I can name the Executors and this company as Defendants in the Will challenge. Then when they lose they will pay all Court fees.
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Siobhan Rattigan-Smith
10th July 2023 at 9:29 am
Hi Ash, I’m afraid we are unable to provide legal advice. I would need to recommend you get in touch with a professional who specialises in contentious probate matters. If you call the team on 01522 687888 we may be able to point you in the right direction.
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Dee
31st August 2023 at 10:42 pm
Does the certificate provider have to be present when the donor signs? What happens of the certificate provider is not present when the donor signs and later signs after the Donor ?
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Manisha Chauhan
11th September 2023 at 10:42 am
Hi Dee, unless they are witnessing the donor’s signature, they do not need to be present when the donor signs. There is an order of signing the LPA as per the LPA guide – https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/make-a-lasting-power-of-attorney/lp12-make-and-register-your-lasting-power-of-attorney-a-guide-web-version#part-a9–signature-donor
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Jo Porter
26th September 2023 at 3:31 pm
Hello
Is Section 10 mandatory to complete?
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Manisha Chauhan
12th December 2023 at 11:46 am
Hi Jo, yes it is
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Lucy
6th October 2023 at 3:12 pm
Can someone’s personal financial advisor act as Certificate Provider on an LPA ?
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Manisha Chauhan
12th December 2023 at 11:45 am
Hi Lucy, yes this is fine
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Anthony Shields
22nd November 2023 at 4:17 pm
Hello,
My family and I are going to get the property and finance LPA and the health and welfare LPA for my father. Do you need two different certificate providors or can you use the same for both?
Kind Regards
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Manisha Chauhan
12th December 2023 at 11:20 am
Hi Anthony, you can use the same certificate provider for both LPA’s
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Tracey
3rd February 2024 at 5:30 pm
Hi is it possible for my attorney’s grandparents to sign the LPA. The attorney’s father was adopted after birth. The grandparents are the mother and father of the attorney’s father?
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Manisha Chauhan
5th February 2024 at 4:18 pm
Hi Tracey, the following vis an extract from the OPG – “If you’re a donor, the person the LPA is for, your witness must be anyone aged 18 or older, and not a named attorney or replacement attorney.
An attorney’s signature must also be witnessed by someone aged 18 or older but can’t be the donor. Attorney’s can witness each other’s signature, and your certificate provider can be a witness for the donor and attorneys.”
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