planning ahead
A national movement to protect Scotland’s families through early Power of Attorney conversations
Planning Ahead
Launched on Carers Rights Day 2025, Planning Ahead is rooted in the Trust’s belief that solicitors are the most trusted professionals to help families take this vital step. Our aim is to work with firms across Edinburgh, and then more widely across Scotland, to make conversations about Power of Attorney part of everyday planning, not a last resort and one that comes too late in many cases.
Book an appointment today with one of our law firm partners and secure your future health and care plans for your loved ones peace of mind.
A Scotland where no family faces crisis alone - because everyone has the power to choose, even when life changes unexpectedly.
OUR Vision
To work alongside solicitors, partners and families to transform how Scotland prepares for the future. Ensuring no one loses control simply because the conversation wasn’t had in time. The Planning Ahead campaign encourages people of all ages and stages of life to plan ahead for the care they may need in the future.
OUR MISSION
“The phrase I hear most from families in crisis: ‘I wish we’d had Power of Attorney”
Sandra McDonald
Scottish Law Firms & Legal Teams
Book your Power of Attorney now with one of the law firms and legal teams who have partnered with the Dementia Trust for the Power of Attorney Month in February. These firms will be helping the Dementia Trust by encouraging Power of Attorney conversations, services, and direct support for the Trust.
Blackadders
Email Contact: karen.phillips@blackadders.co.ukPhone number:
0131 222 8000
Website:
www.blackadders.co.uk
Address:
40 Torphichen Street,
Edinburgh, EH3 8JB
BALFOUR Manson
Email Contact:
info@balfour-manson.co.ukPhone number:
0131 200 1200
Website:
www.balfour-manson.co.uk
Address:
56-66 Frederick Street,
Edinburgh EH2 1LS
Ralph Sayer
Email Contact:
privateclient@ralphsayer.comPhone number:
0131 225 5567
Website:
www.ralphsayer.com
Address:
Birch House,
10 Bankhead Crossway South,
Edinburgh, EH11 4EP
McDougall Mcqueen
Email Contact:
info@mcdougallmcqueen.co.ukPhone number:
0808 123 4100
Website:
www.mcdougallmcqueen.co.uk
Address:
46 High Street,
Haddington, EH41 3EE
Useful organisations
Office of the Public Guardian (England and Wales)
PO Box 16185
Birmingham
B22WH
Telephone: 0300 466 0300
Office of Care and Protection (Northern Ireland)
Room 2.2A
Second Floor
Royal Courts of Justice
Chichester Street
Belfast
BTI3IF
Telephone: 0300 200 7812
Email: OCP@courtsni.gov.uk
Office of the Public Guardian (Scotland)
Hadrian House
Callendar Business Park
Callendar Road
Falkirk
FK1 1XR
Telephone; 01324 678398
Email: OPG@scotcourts.gov.uk
https://www.publicguardian-scotland.gov.uk/general/contact-us
-
British Medical Association
www.bma.org.uk
telephone: 020 7387 4499
British Psychological Society
www.bps.org.uk
Telephone: 0116 254 9568
Mental Welfare Commission (Scotland)
www.mwcscot.org.uk
Advice line: 0800 389 6809 -
The independent bodies responsible for monitoring and inspecting the availability and quality of care home services and encouraging improvements in the quality of those services.
Care Quality Commission (England)
Telephone: 03000 616161
Email: enquiries@cqc.org.uk
Care Inspectorate (Scotland)
enquiries@careinspectorate.gov.scot.
0345 600 9527
Care Inspectorate Wales
www.careinspectorate.wales
Helpline: 0300 7900 126
Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority
www.rgia.org.uk
Contact: 028 9536 1111 -
Department of Work and Pensions
www.gov.uk/contact-jobcentre-plus
Find your local council: www.gov.uk/find-local-council
All government departments for England and Wales
www.gov.uk
Adult incapacity government site in Scotland
www.gov.scot/collections/adults-with-incapacity
forms-and-guidance/
For PoA information in Northern Ireland
www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/managing your affairs-and
enduring power attorney -
Family Mediation Council (England and Wales)
www.familymediationcouncil.org.uk
Telephone: 01707 394055
Scottish Mediation
www.scottishmediation.org.uk
Helpline: 0131 556 8118 -
To find a solicitor
Law Society of Scotland
www.lawscot.org.uk
Law Society of Northern Ireland
www.lawsoc-ni.org -
Age UK
www.ageuk.org.uk
Advice line: 0800 055 6112
Age Scotland
www.ageuk.org.uk/scotland
0800 12 44 222
Age Wales
www.ageuk.org.uk/cymru
08000 223 444
Age Northern Ireland
www.ageuk.org.uk/northern-ireland
0808 808 7575
Alcohol Related Brain Damage
www.arbdcare.co.uk
01934 422 822
Alzheimer’s Society
www.alzheimers.org.uk
Support line: 0333 150 3456
(This is the same web address and support line for Wales and
Northern Ireland.)
Alzheimer Scotland
www.alzscot.org
Helpline: 0808 808 3000
Carers UK
www.carersuk.org
Contact their helpline by filling in the form which is on this
website.
Citizens Advice Bureau
www.citizensadvice.org.uk
You will be directed from this home page to CABs in your
nation and from there you can find a local service.
Headway
For support with traumatic brain injury
www.headway.org.uk
Telephone: 08088002244
Lewy Body Society
For information on Lewy Body dementia
www.lewybody.org
Information line: 01942 914000
Helpline: 0800 888 6678 (manned by Admiral Nurses)
Mind
Support with learning disability and mental health
www.mind.org.uk
Support line: 0208 215 2243
Stroke Association
www.stroke.org.uk
Stroke Helpline: 0303 3033 I00
Supporter Care: 0300 3300 740
We Are Hourglass
Dedicated to calling time on the harm and abuse of older
people
wearehourglass.org
From here you will get links to We Are Hourglass in Scotland,
Wales and Northern Ireland
Helpline: 0808 808 8141
Why Power of Attorney mATTERS
Behind every statistic is a family trying to
hold things together.
Most people don’t put a Power of Attorney in place, not because they don’t care, because life is busy. Because capacity feels like something that belongs to later. Because we all assume there will be time.
But when capacity changes without a POA,
families cannot make medical or financial decisions
bank accounts freeze
care decisions stall
guardianship becomes costly, stressful and slow
people lose the dignity of having their choices upheld
Solicitors know this reality better than anyone. They see the emotional, legal and financial impact every time a client reaches crisis without protection.
Planning Ahead is about changing the narrative to that story.
Take the lead
Look after your loved ones and plan ahead
The Dementia Trust is asking Scotland’s families to act early and put Power of Attorney protection in place before it's Too late.
Join in our ‘Power of Attorney Month’ February 2026 by booking an appointment with one of our Partner law firms.
Too frequently we hear from relatives who say their loved one always intended to make a power-of-attorney but never got round to it. Things then become much more complicated and people have to go to court to apply for the court’s approval to manage things at a time which may already be traumatic for other reasons.
Watch and hear how power of attorney can impact families and loved ones when they need care most in our short film, The Power of ‘Power of Attorney’.
THE POWER OF ‘Power of ATTORNEY’
Law firms and legal teams can help lead the way and define how Power of Attorney is shaped across Scotland going forward. Join us as we move to make real change in the lives of everyone who may need care in their future. If your firm is based in or around Edinburgh, please join us as a Planning Ahead campaign partner. You’ll be signing up to participate in our ‘Power of Attorney Month’ in February 2026.
Sign-up today or get in touch to discuss how your firm can be a part of this empowering campaign. Email sonia@dementiatrust.org or complete the form to your right.
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