If a family member becomes mentally unable to manage his or her affairs and has not signed a lasting power of attorney, someone needs to apply to the Court of Protection to be appointed as their Deputy, unless their affairs are deemed to be simple to manage. The Court of Protection will then authorise the Deputy to do a number of things on behalf of the mentally incapacitated family member.
The application takes some months to complete, although in urgent cases, the Court can make some restricted orders.
