Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing applicants to apply for lasting power of attorney without a (a) passport (b) driving license or (c) blue badge.

The current lasting power of attorney (LPA) system has significant safeguards but does not require identity verification. The Government plans to modernise the system and will introduce additional safeguards which include enabling the Office of the Public Guardian to carry out identity checks for the person making the LPA and their certificate provider. This aims to reduce the risk that an unknown party could obtain an LPA in another person’s name without their knowledge.

We are exploring a range of identity verification options to ensure access to LPAs for everyone eligible to make one. A passport or driving licence are examples of the documentation we are considering. Blue Badges are issued by Local Authorities and the lack of a central database of verified data means they are not appropriate for use as a means to prove identity.