What we achieved together in 2026
Our first Power of Attorney Day got people talking, helped thousands find clear information, and brought organisations across the UK together around one simple idea: planning ahead matters.
- 898 million people reached through media coverage
- 21,000+ visits to the Power of Attorney Day website
- 1,090 people and professionals signed up to support the campaign
From awareness to action
Power of Attorney Day wasn't just about raising awareness. It was about starting conversations and building the foundations for longer-term change.
We got people talking
Our campaign generated 120 pieces of media coverage across broadcast, print and online, reaching 898 million people.
A little help from Martin Lewis
We were thrilled to have Martin Lewis, the Money Saving Expert, get behind Power of Attorney Day, helping shine a huge spotlight on why planning ahead matters. His This Morning appearance reached an estimated 15.6 million people, helping take Power of Attorney from something people might put off to a conversation happening in millions of homes.
We brought people together
We built relationships with charities, financial services, health and social care organisations, employers, national agencies and policymakers across the UK. Our Power of Attorney Day professional event attracted 961 sign-ups and 510 attendees.
We made information easier to find and understand
More than 21,000 people visited our campaign website, while our resources were downloaded 1,196 times.
We started influencing change
In Scotland, our engagement with the Scottish Government and Ministers, alongside our stakeholder work, contributed to a manifesto commitment on strengthening the power of attorney system. Officials are subsequently looking at how these commitments might be delivered.
And we're only getting started
The first Power of Attorney Day created a strong foundation for the campaign to grow. We've built relationships, created trusted resources, gathered lived experience and started a much bigger conversation about planning for the future.
Now we're building on that momentum - and we want you to be part of it.
Power of Attorney, a conversation worth having
Carers UK
As well as setting up and running the first ever UK-wide Power of Attorney Day, Carers UK has been looking at what we can do to better raise awareness and understanding of powers of attorney through our information, advice, networks and colleagues.
We have engaged with carers to analyse their experiences of managing someone else's affairs and the challenges they’ve faced when the right documentation is not in place. We've held online briefing sessions with carers to help them understand more about powers of attorney and answer any questions they have. Our members have all received information and advice, with storytellers like Dorothy and Norman sharing their experiences, including in our own Caring magazine.
We have held briefing sessions with experts to help our colleagues, a majority of whom are currently caring or have experience of caring, better understand about powers of attorney and answer any questions they have, tailored to each nation.
We have reviewed and enhanced our information and advice to carers that we provide online as well as developing our Power of Attorney Day website materials.
All of our networks have been activated with information about getting involved in Power of Attorney Day, including our volunteers, Employers for Carers (our 250 strong employer network covering around 3 million employees), our Affiliate network and the many other networks that we engage with. We've spoken at others' events as well as delivering our own.
In England and Wales, we've worked closely the Office of the Public Guardian, the Office of the Public Guardian in Scotland and the Office of Protection and Care in Northern Ireland. On the day, we're pleased to be holding an event with the Office of the Public Guardian and will be activating all of our communications channels with information and advice.
"It's been such a fantastic campaign to have created UK wide. We've been delighted to have partnered with Standard Life on such a fundamental issue. There's a real need for this work which is making a practical and tangible difference for so many people, especially unpaid carers. An added bonus is that key areas such as financial services, utilities, the NHS and social care, which often rely on people having a power of attorney in place, will also benefit as the campaign progresses and awareness increases.
"We'll be holding the second Power of Attorney Day in 2027, so if you didn't sign up, do so now and help us build the campaign ahead and reach even more people. And if you haven't got your power of attorney yet, think about putting one in place yourself."
Helen Walker – Chief Executive, Carers UK
Standard Life
For more than two centuries, we’ve been standing beside our customers, helping them plan and prepare for their financial future. Our vision is to be the UK’s leading retirement saving and income business. We are helping our customers achieve better outcomes and greater financial security in later life by providing the right products and solutions at the right time.
Standard Life plc has an established focus on caring through our Caring for Carers initiative, with financial wellbeing as a key priority. We deliver this by working with leading charities, including Carers UK, to support our colleagues, customers and communities.
Unpaid carers are often closest to the realities of illness, incapacity and complex decision making. Partnering with Carers UK on Power of Attorney Day allows us to elevate lived experience, challenge persistent misconceptions, and ensure this campaign speaks directly to those most affected as well as those who may not yet realise how relevant it is to them.
On Power of Attorney Day, we’ll be supporting the day both internally and externally. Internally, we’ll be running colleague activity to raise awareness and build confidence in taking the first steps. This includes a myth busting video, pop up events in our offices where colleagues can find out more, and webinars with our employee benefits provider to help people start the journey. In addition, we are also providing training to customer-facing colleagues to enhance their knowledge and understanding of powers of attorney, enabling them to offer better support to our customers.
Externally, we’ll be amplifying the campaign with Power of Attorney Day messages across our social media platforms. We sponsored Postcards from Midlife to produce a special Power of Attorney episode for public release.
This is just the beginning. Our ambition is to see stronger public understanding of powers of attorney, earlier conversations, and greater confidence in planning for the future and retirement.
By continuing to work with Carers UK and other partners, we want to keep momentum going beyond Power of Attorney Day, supporting long term change that helps people feel more prepared for life’s twists and turns, whatever they may bring.
“Our research shows that too many people are unprepared for life events that could leave them vulnerable.
"Power of attorney isn’t just a legal formality - it’s a vital safeguard setting out who can manage your finances in the event of something happening to you. Without it, loved ones may face lengthy legal processes to gain authority, often at a time of crisis, which can delay access to essential funds and support.
“Power of Attorney Day will help to educate the public and dispel myths so that people can better understand why and how to put a POA in place before they need to use one.”
Claire Hawkins – Director of Corporate Affairs and Brand at Standard Life, and executive sponsor of the company’s carers network
Nationwide
Nationwide is the world's largest building society, with over 16 million members. Following its acquisition of Virgin Money UK PLC, Nationwide is connected with one in three people in the UK and is the second largest provider of mortgages and retail deposits. It is also a major provider of current accounts, credit cards, personal loans and business banking. Customers can choose to manage their finances in a branch, via mobile app, the internet, telephone, and post. Nationwide has around 25,000 employees and its head office is in Swindon, UK.
As a financial services provider owned by its members, not shareholders, Nationwide's purpose is: Banking - but fairer, more rewarding, and for the good of society. For more information click here.
"At Nationwide, we see firsthand how challenging it can be when someone begins to struggle with managing their finances and a power of attorney isn’t in place. Many people assume a spouse or close family member can step in automatically, but without legal authority they often can’t - leading to stress and delays at an already difficult time.
"Putting a power of attorney in place early provides peace of mind and ensures support can start as soon as it’s needed, allowing families to focus on care rather than complex processes or paperwork. It’s also why Nationwide is proud to support the Carers UK campaign to raise awareness of power of attorney."
Kathryn Townsend, Head of Customer Vulnerability,
Nationwide Building Society