No LPA can be used until the Office of the Public Guardian has registered it, which takes 8 to 10 weeks. After that, the two types behave differently.
A property and financial affairs LPA takes effect according to the choice you made on the form: either as soon as it is registered (your attorneys can then help whenever you ask, and only with your consent while you have capacity), or only once you have lost mental capacity. Most people choose the first option because it is more practical.
A health and welfare LPA offers no such choice. It can only ever be used once you cannot make the particular decision yourself.
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