The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) is a law that protects and supports people who do not have the ability to make decisions for themselves. It also provides guidance to support people who need to make decisions on behalf of someone else.
A new Online Hate Crime Hub has been launched by the Metropolitan Police and the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime. At the launch of the new hub, the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said that five specially trained Met officers would ‘work with community experts to develop the police's understanding of online hate’. The hub will be able to refer victims to support groups and will work with local borough police teams to investigate crimes.
The LSAB Community Reference Group recently held an event at We Are 336, Brixton which aimed to help the Lambeth Community (both professionals and residents) think about their future choices and how to record these on an 'advanced statement.' It also encouraged people to think about how to decide who could speak for them, at a point when they are no longer able to, by setting up a Lasting Power of Attorney.
The BBC have reported on the successful conviction of Stephen Floyd, a man who persuaded two elderly women to grant him power of attorney before using their money to fund a gambling habit.
In addition to gaining power of attorney, Floyd also persuaded the women to change their wills to make him the main beneficiary. Floyd used their money for other purposes than their own care, placing one victim into nursing care before selling her home and spending £230,000 of her money. He lost over £50,000 of the money through gambling at bookmakers.