An enduring power of attorney (EPA) under English law is a legal authorisation to act on someone else's behalf in legal and financial matters which (unlike other kinds of power of attorney) can continue in force after the person granting it loses mental capacity, and so can be used to manage the affairs of people who have lost the ability to deal with their own affairs, without the need to apply to the Court of Protection.
The Law Commission proposed the introduction of Continuing Powers of Attorney (CPAs).
These were subsequently enacted by the Mental Capacity Act 2005 as Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs).
The Mental Capacity Act 2005 came into force on 1 October 2007 and no new EPAs can now be drawn up; however, one signed before that date remains valid and may still be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian.
[2] Unlike an LPA, an EPA can be used without registration for so long as the donor has mental capacity.