How the Wilson Browne Court of Protection team are supporting vulnerable society members and their loved ones

When a person loses mental capacity, it can be necessary for them to need help with the management of their day to day affairs and decisions about their Property and Finance and/or Health & Welfare.

The Court of Protection is an HM Courts and Tribunal Service, and they decide whether someone has the mental capacity to make a particular decision for themselves. If the individual needs help to make decisions, the Court of Protection will appoint a close relative or friend as the deputy wherever possible.

Here at Wilson Browne, we have an established dedicated Court of Protection (COP) team comprised of practitioners who passionately provide their expertise and experience to some of the most vulnerable members of society. We engage in a broad spectrum of legal affairs, providing a compassionate service and keeping the individual’s wishes and feelings at the forefront.

Capacity may be lacking due to a progressive illness or an incident in their life, like an accident. Someone may require assistance due to a disability they are born with or as the result of medical negligence or personal injury claim. The circumstances are oftentimes upsetting time for the individual, their family & friends and require the fulfilment of duties which can feel complex and overwhelming.

The Wilson Browne COP Team specialises in making Court applications to appoint a loved one as a deputy (property and affairs or health and welfare) or to be granted permission to make a one-off decision on behalf of someone else (like selling a house or making a gift).

At times, there are no family members, nobody that’s suitable or willing to act on the individual’s behalf. Sometimes the individual’s assets are too large and complex for a loved one to feel that they have the relevant expertise to manage them. Under these circumstances, a professional deputy can be appointed by the Court of Protection, this could be a solicitor or, in certain circumstances, a Local Authority.

The Wilson Browne Trust Corporation can be appointed as deputy, and our COP team is dedicated to empowering each of our clients to make or be involved in making decisions at every possible opportunity, always ensuring that the principals of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 Code of Practice are adhered to and applied.

Our clients are appointed a dedicated case handler within the COP team to provide a welcoming point of contact as well as manage the workflow and progression of the matter. We get to know each of our clients as individuals, participating in in-person meetings in the home, at care homes or hospitals, as well as telephone calls and video conferencing to keep in touch in a way that best suits our client’s needs.

Our consultation with loved ones and/or healthcare professionals, as well as research into their past, helps us to fully understand our clients. Every decision we make on behalf of our client is given the utmost consideration to ensure that it’s not only in their best financial interest but is also the right conclusion from a health and welfare perspective, reflecting, where possible, any past wishes and feelings.

To speak to a member of our team, you can either give us a call on 0800 088 6004 or use our convenient online form to submit your enquiry.