Helping you care for a vulnerable relative or loved one

Types of Attorneys

There are several types of Power of Attorney:

1. Power of Attorney (POA), also known as ‘ordinary’ or ‘general’ power of attorney, is a legal document giving someone else the authority to take actions or make decisions on the Donor’s behalf. It enables the Donor to choose an Attorney to deal with their property and affairs. A POA ceases when the Donor becomes mentally incapable of managing their affairs, or upon the death of the Donor. A POA is usually put in place when the Donor may find it difficult to manage their own finances for reasons such as physical disability.
2. Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a legal document where the Donor (while they still have mental capacity and full control of their affairs) nominates an Attorney to make financial decisions on their behalf if or when the Donor loses the mental capacity to manage their affairs. The LPA ends when the Donor dies.
3. Enduring Power of Attorney (EPOA), was replaced by the LPA in October 2007. However, if you made or signed an EPOA before 1 October 2007, it should still be valid.

Appointing an Attorney

As there are different types of Power of Attorney, it is important you use the correct one for your situation. You will need to seek independent legal advice from your solicitor or Citizens Advice Bureau.

For further information please refer to the Office of the Public Guardian section of the GOV.UK website:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/office-of-the-public-guardian

https://www.gov.uk/power-of-attorney

Scotland

There is a Scottish equivalent of an LPA called continuing (Scottish) Power of Attorney. You can find further details on the Office of the Public Guardian (Scotland) website at:

http://www.publicguardian-scotland.gov.uk/power-of-attorney

How do I register a Power of Attorney with the bank?

Our Power of Attorney Support Team are here to help. They will be your single point of contact for the bank.
You can contact them by:

• Email at Powerofattorney.cso@aib.ie
• Phone on 02890 726206^†
• In writing: Power of Attorney Support Team, AIB (GB), CSUK, 92 Ann Street, Belfast, BT1 3HH

You/The Attorney(s) will need to provide the bank with the following documentation:

• The original of the full Power of Attorney/Lasting Power of Attorney/Enduring Power of Attorney document or a copy certified by a solicitor;
• 1 form of ID and 2 proofs of address for the Attorney (we can only accept originals or correctly certified copies, certified by a solicitor or an accountant)  to prove identity and residence e.g. UK passport, full or provisional photo driving licence and a utility bill less than 3 months old that confirms your address;

It will take time for us to process this documentation, but our Power of Attorney Support Team will keep the Attorney up to date on the progress of this and will also write to the Attorney to confirm when the Power of Attorney/Lasting Power of Attorney is in place. They will also inform any other departments in Allied Irish Bank (GB) that need to know and they will be in touch if necessary. 

Further information

Additional information which may be relevant to your circumstances can be found below:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/mental-capacity-act-making-decisions

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/make-a-lasting-power-of-attorney

https://www.mencap.org.uk/advice-and-support/mental-capacity-act

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/money-legal/legal-issues/power-of-attorney

https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/legal-financial/lasting-power-attorney

^† _{Lines open: 9am to 5pm Monday - Friday (except on bank holidays). Calls may be recorded. Call charges may vary - refer to your service provider.}