Why power of attorney matters
You never know what’s around the corner. We tend to assume that close relatives will automatically be allowed to make decisions on our behalf if something happens to us, but this isn’t true. Without power of attorney, it is not certain who can take decisions on your behalf. With power of attorney in place, you can be confident that you have taken the necessary steps to make everything as clear-cut as possible.
Yet, most people in the UK know nothing or very little about power of attorney. We want to change that. That’s why we’re launching Power of Attorney Day 2026.
"We don't know what tomorrow holds. Anything could happen. I could get in my car tomorrow and have an accident, and nobody's got a say over what happens to me.
"Power of attorney is actually something very important."
Get involved
Power of Attorney Day is taking place on Wednesday 22 April 2026. We’ll be sharing more information and guidance in the coming months.
Whether you’re an organisation or an individual, we’d love to tell you more and have you involved. Share with us your details and we’ll be in touch!
FAQs on power of attorney
Yes. Whilst power of attorney has a different name in England and Wales (Lasting Power of Attorney), Scotland (Power of Attorney) and Northern Ireland (Enduring Power of Attorney) the principle is the same.
No. Carers UK is running this campaign because we know that unpaid carers are often already stretched to the limit. Not having a power of attorney in place – either for those they care for or themselves – because they don’t know about it, or don’t know how or why to get one, should not be an extra burden. However, the campaign and Power of Attorney Day is for everyone, and we’ll be running it accordingly!
We’ll be signposting and supplying more guidance as part of the campaign. If you want to get going now:
-
If you’re in England or Wales click the link here
-
If you’re in Scotland click the link here
-
If you’re in Northern Ireland click the link here