Mental Capacity

It is good to plan for the legal and family issues which may occur in later life but many people put off planning when they could be taking steps to have as much control as possible over their lives.

Mental capacity is a complex issue, as people can have the ability to make some decisions but not others, and capacity can vary from day to day or throughout the day. You can find more information in our 'Guide to mental capacity in Scotland'.

Guide to mental capacity in Scotland

Supporting someone else

You can find out about how to help someone who needs support to look after their money in our guide 'Ways to help someone manage money and benefits'. If you are supporting someone who did not set up a Power of Attorney and cannot make important decisions for themselves you may need to take legal steps to be able to help them, see our guide 'Legal options for people who have lost capacity'.

Ways to help someone manage money and benefits

Legal options for people who have lost capacity

Further Information

For more information about Power of Attorney and the responsibilities of Attorneys, see the website of the Office of the Public Guardian in Scotland. You can find expert information about mental capacity on the mental welfare commission’s website.