<EN xmlns="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/namespaces/legislation" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xml:base="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2005/9" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/namespaces/legislation http://www.legislation.gov.uk/schema/en.xsd" SchemaVersion="1.0" DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/9/notes" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2005/9/notes"><ukm:Metadata xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:ukm="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/namespaces/metadata">
				<dc:identifier>http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/9/section/16/notes</dc:identifier><dc:subject>Incapacity</dc:subject><dc:subject>Legislation</dc:subject><dc:subject>Medical and psychiatric treatment</dc:subject><dc:subject>Civil and human rights</dc:subject><dc:subject>Law</dc:subject><dc:title>Explanatory Notes to Mental Capacity Act 2005</dc:title><dc:creator>Department for Constitutional Affairs</dc:creator><dc:publisher>King's Printer of Acts of Parliament</dc:publisher><dc:modified>2020-04-20</dc:modified>
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</ukm:DocumentClassification><ukm:Year Value="2005"/><ukm:Number Value="9"/><ukm:ISBN Value="9780105609056"/></ukm:ENmetadata>
				<ukm:Alternatives><ukm:Alternative Date="2008-03-03" URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/9/pdfs/ukpgaen_20050009_en.pdf" Title="Explanatory Note"/></ukm:Alternatives>
			</ukm:Metadata><ExplanatoryNotes><ENprelims>
<Title><Citation URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2005/9" id="c00001" Class="UnitedKingdomPublicGeneralAct" Year="2005" Number="0009">Mental Capacity Act 2005</Citation></Title>
<Number>9</Number>
<DateOfEnactment>
<DateText>7 April 2005</DateText>
</DateOfEnactment>
</ENprelims><Body><Division id="d00007" DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/9/notes/division/6" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2005/9/notes/division/6"><Title>Commentary on Sections</Title><CommentaryPart id="n00004" DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/9/notes/division/6/1" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2005/9/notes/division/6/1"><Title><CitationSubRef id="c00119" URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2005/9/part/1" CitationRef="c00001" SectionRef="part-1">Part 1</CitationSubRef>: Persons Who Lack Capacity</Title><CommentaryDivision id="n00022" DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/9/notes/division/6/1/4" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2005/9/notes/division/6/1/4"><Title>General powers of the court and appointment of deputies</Title><CommentaryP1 id="n00024" DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/9/notes/division/6/1/4/2" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2005/9/notes/division/6/1/4/2">
<Title><CitationSubRef id="c00322" URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2005/9/section/16" CitationRef="c00001" SectionRef="section-16">Section 16</CitationSubRef>: Powers to make decisions and appoint deputies: general</Title>
<NumberedPara id="paragraph-66" DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/9/notes/paragraph/66" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2005/9/notes/paragraph/66"><Pnumber>66</Pnumber><Para>
<Text>This sets out the core jurisdiction of the court, which is to make decisions about personal welfare or property and affairs for persons lacking capacity or to appoint a deputy to do so.</Text>
</Para></NumberedPara>
<NumberedPara id="paragraph-67" DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/9/notes/paragraph/67" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2005/9/notes/paragraph/67"><Pnumber>67</Pnumber><Para>
<Text><Emphasis>Subsection (<CitationSubRef id="c00324" URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2005/9/section/16/3" CitationRef="c00322" SectionRef="section-16-3">3</CitationSubRef>)</Emphasis> confirms that the principles in <Emphasis><CitationSubRef id="c00326" URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2005/9/section/1" CitationRef="c00001" SectionRef="section-1">section 1</CitationSubRef></Emphasis> and the best interests checklist will govern the court’s exercise of its powers.</Text>
</Para></NumberedPara>
<NumberedPara id="paragraph-68" DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/9/notes/paragraph/68" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2005/9/notes/paragraph/68"><Pnumber>68</Pnumber><Para>
<Text><Emphasis>Subsection (<CitationSubRef id="c00328" URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2005/9/section/16/4" CitationRef="c00322" SectionRef="section-16-4">4</CitationSubRef>)</Emphasis> requires the court to consider two additional principles, further emphasising the “least restrictive intervention” principle mentioned in <Emphasis><CitationSubRef id="c00330" URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2005/9/section/1/6" CitationRef="c00001" SectionRef="section-1-6">section 1(6)</CitationSubRef></Emphasis>. The first additional principle is that a decision of the court is preferable to the appointment of a deputy and the second is that, if a deputy is appointed, the appointment should be as limited in scope and duration as is reasonably practicable in the circumstances. In welfare (including health care) matters a deputy is never required in order for care or treatment to be given to a person because <Emphasis><CitationSubRef id="c00332" URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2005/9/section/5" CitationRef="c00001" SectionRef="section-5">section 5</CitationSubRef></Emphasis> provides sufficient scope for carers and professionals to act.  Nevertheless, a deputy may be particularly helpful in cases of dispute.  For matters concerning property and affairs, a deputy may be needed in order to provide the authority to deal with contractual matters and where there is an on-going need for such decisions to be taken. <Emphasis>Subsection (<CitationSubRef id="c00334" URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2005/9/section/16/5" CitationRef="c00322" SectionRef="section-16-5">5</CitationSubRef>)</Emphasis> enables the court to grant the deputy powers or impose duties on him as it thinks necessary to avoid repeated applications to the court.  However, it also enables the court to require the deputy to seek consent before taking certain actions.  <Emphasis>Subsection (<CitationSubRef id="c00336" URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2005/9/section/16/6" CitationRef="c00322" SectionRef="section-16-6">6</CitationSubRef>)</Emphasis> gives the court an “own motion” power to make whatever order is in the person’s best interests.</Text>
</Para></NumberedPara>
<NumberedPara id="paragraph-69" DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/9/notes/paragraph/69" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2005/9/notes/paragraph/69"><Pnumber>69</Pnumber><Para>
<Text>The court can always vary or discharge its orders and <Emphasis>subsection (<CitationSubRef id="c00338" URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2005/9/section/16/8" CitationRef="c00322" SectionRef="section-16-8">8</CitationSubRef>)</Emphasis> provides that it has power to take away or alter a deputy’s powers if the deputy is overstepping his powers or not adhering to his best interests obligations.</Text>
</Para></NumberedPara>
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