What is a Deputy?
A deputy is appointed by the Court of Protection and is required to act when a person has lost the mental capacity to manage their own affairs. Deputies are usually appointed to manage a person’s property and financial affairs and although they can also be appointed to manage their health and welfare, this is rare.
There are four types of deputies;
- Lay Deputies: Family members or friends.
- Professional Deputies: Solicitors, accountants, or case managers paid for their services.
- Public Authority Deputies: Local authorities or social services departments.
- Panel Deputies: Professionals approved by the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) when no one else is suitable.
Members of The PDF are Professional Deputies: named legal professionals (solicitors) or Directors of Trust Corporations. Some of our members may also be Panel Deputies.
We have put together a guide about the role of a professional deputy and how to choose the right one for the circumstances.
Subjects covered include:
- Professional deputy fees
- Choosing a professional deputy
- Questions to ask when chosing a deputy
- Other circumstances where a deputy might be appropriate
- Statutory wills
- Different types of deputies
- Duties of a deputy
- When would you need a deputy or new deputy
- Lay deputy v Professional deputy
- Decisions
Deputy Directory
This is a list of our members who act as professional deputies. This list is updated every 3 months and you can check on their firm’s website the type of work they specialise in. It is important you choose the right deputy and this is explained in the document above.
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