Keep your business running, whatever happens

If you became suddenly ill or lost mental capacity, who could legally step in and keep your business operating? A Business LPA gives you that answer, and that protection.

Protect business continuity
Separate from personal LPAs
Qualified, insured SWW members

Book a free consultation

The basics

What is a Business LPA?

A Business Lasting Power of Attorney is a separate legal document from a personal LPA. It is specifically designed to cover your business interests, allowing your chosen attorney to act on decisions such as paying staff and suppliers, accessing business bank accounts, signing contracts, and managing day-to-day operations.

It can be set up to work alongside your personal LPA, or as a standalone document, depending on how you structure your affairs. Without one, even the people closest to your business may have no legal authority to act.

Pay staff and suppliersKeep the business running without missed payments.
Access business accountsYour attorney can manage finances on your behalf.
Sign contractsAgreements and deals continue without delay.
Manage operationsDay-to-day decisions can be made in your absence.

Who needs one

Is a Business LPA right for you?

If your business would struggle to function without you for even a few weeks, a Business LPA is worth considering.

Sole traders

The business often hinges entirely on you. A Business LPA keeps operations going if incapacity strikes.

Company directors

Whether sole director or one of several, a clear decision-making pathway protects the company.

Partners in a partnership

Prevents disagreements or confusion over authority if one partner cannot act.

Self-employed professionals

If you manage your own contracts and finances, continuity planning is essential.

It is not just about serious illness. Mental capacity can be affected by all sorts of things, a head injury from an accident, early-onset dementia that creeps up slowly, even a severe reaction to medication. A Business LPA is ready whatever the cause.

Without a Business LPA, your company is exposed

Many business owners assume their co-directors or partners can simply step in. In reality, without a registered Business LPA:

Bank accounts frozen

Staff and suppliers left unpaid

Contracts left unsigned

Costly delays and disruption

No legal authority to act

Years of hard work at risk

Protect your business

How it works

Simple, straightforward protection

We talk through your business

A friendly conversation to understand your structure and what matters most.

We draft your Business LPA

Clear guidance on choosing the right attorney and the powers they should have.

Registered and in place

Registration support to make sure everything is legally secure.

Questions, answered

Business LPA FAQs

A standard personal Property and Financial Affairs LPA can technically be used to manage business assets, but relying on it alone can cause real problems. Appointing the same attorneys for both personal and business matters can create a conflict of interest, and may leave your business in the hands of people without the relevant commercial expertise. A Business LPA is a separate document focused solely on commercial responsibilities, so you can appoint attorneys with the appropriate background.

Choose someone who already understands how your business runs day to day. A spouse is a common choice, but if they have no experience of your operations they may struggle under pressure. Your attorney needs the time and the skills to manage the business in your absence, and for some professional businesses they may need specific qualifications to act.

A business can stall very quickly. Nobody can legally authorise payroll, pay suppliers, or sign contracts on your behalf, so invoices pile up and clients lose confidence, and revenue can dry up within weeks. The bank may freeze the account, with access denied until a court order is in place. We have seen this happen to sole traders and company directors alike.

Yes, and it is one of the most useful features of a well-drafted Business LPA. You can restrict your attorney to specific tasks, such as payroll and supplier payments only, or give them broader authority to run the whole business. We draft the document around your actual business structure, so your attorney knows exactly what they can and cannot do.

Complete the picture

Have you sorted your business Will?

A Business LPA protects your company while you are alive. A Will for Business Owners makes sure your share passes to the right people afterwards. Together they form a complete plan.

Explore Wills for Business Owners

Keep exploring

Our other services

Friendly, professional guidance across everything estate planning, always personal and always in plain English.

Your business, protected.

A friendly chat costs nothing and sorts a lot. Talk to us about protecting your business, with no obligation and no jargon.

Book an appointment Call 01934 442030

Home visits across Somerset, or online anywhere in England and Wales.