Mental Capacity Act 2005

The Mental Capacity Act 2005 is a new law which came into force April 2007 to protect people who do not have the capacity to make their own decisions, especially about things like finance, social care, medical treatment and research arrangements.

This could be because they have: 

• a learning disability 
• dementia 
• a mental health problem 
• a brain injury or a stroke

The new law aims to ensure that people who lack capacity to make decisions by themselves get the support they need to be as involved as possible in decisions about their lives. It also outlines how an assessment of mental capacity should be made, which situations other people can make decisions for a person who cannot and act on their own and how to plan ahead in case you become unable to make decision in the future.

More Information

A summary leaflet (which is available in a variety of languages and booklets for people who lack capacity or want to plan ahead, for family or friends, for care professionals and for advice workers are available from the Department for Constitutional Affairs website (link below).

Article		Description
	Mental Capacity Act 2005 - Information leaflets	Booklets and leaflets providing introductory information on the Mental Capacity Act.

External Links

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Link	Description
Department of Constitutional Affairs	Information leaflets/booklets explaining the Mental Capacity Act 2005