I am passing this warning to as many people as possible.
I can't stress this enough.
If you, or your parents, become inflicted with Dementia, or any mental disorder and you (or they) have more than £16,000 or a house and you have not made provision via Power of Attorney you will have to go through the Government's Office of Public Guardian to get a Deputyship Order to access bank accounts, ISA's etc.
I went through this with my mother this year and it cost a bloody fortune. So far, over £2000 just to set it up and then with ANNUAL "supervision fees" and a "bond" for insurance in case I run off with the money I'm having to pay approx £700 per year, (which will rise) just to look after my Mum, something I was doing perfectly well until I had to apply for this Order to get access to her ISA's to pay her care home fees of £600 per week.
Don't think this will never affect you or your loved ones. These mental disorders are hitting even 40 year olds now.
If you want to keep control of your families finances do a Power of Attorney NOW, it costs money but nowhere near what you will have to pay under the Deputyship Order, which you are stuck with until the inflicted dies or the estate falls below £16000.
Make it a priority or many family inheritances will be lost to this greedy piece of legislation.

Good advice mate, the elderly should get a "Lasting Power of Attorney" (LPA) sorted as soon as they can.

The Supervision Fees for a "Deputyship Order" are often around £800 a year and the bond is about £100 a year, plus the aggro of producing accounts. The initial court fee is £400 unless you have an exemption (low-income, unemployed etc) but help is probably needed to do the process and if there is any family dispute then the costs rise rapidly.

Like you say RobBB, its daylight robbery, the courts should be able to make an LPA in absence.

Won't be long before it's compulsory to hand inheritance to the government, you watch.

What Capt A says will eventually come no matter who is in Gov.
So if you trust your family &/or kids liquidate your assets slowly and hand them over to the trusted on condition they pay back whenever you need.
Takes a lot of trust but better cash goes to your loved ones than to fund wars and bankers handouts.
Let's face it the banks are taking the Pee with the pathetic interest rates on accounts and savings,especially ISA's, so take the money off 'em.