Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015

• Permanent Page URL

Disqualification as decision-making assistant

13. (1) A decision-making assistant shall, with effect from the date on which an event specified in paragraphs (a) to (c) occurs or, in the case of an event specified in paragraph (d), at the expiry of the period referred to in that paragraph, and unless the decision-making assistance agreement provides otherwise, be disqualified from being a decision-making assistant for the appointer where the decision-making assistant is the spouse of the appointer and subsequently—

(a) the marriage is annulled or dissolved either—

(i) under the law of the State, or

(ii) under the law of another state and is, by reason of that annulment or dissolution, not or no longer a subsisting valid marriage under the law of the State,

(b) either a decree of judicial separation is granted to either spouse by a court in the State or any decree is so granted by a court outside the State and is recognised in the State as having like effect,

(c) a written agreement to separate is entered into between the spouses, or

(d) subject to section 2 (2), the spouses separate and cease to cohabit for a continuous period of 12 months.

(2) A decision-making assistant shall, with effect from the date on which an event specified in paragraph (a) or (b) occurs or, in the case of an event specified in paragraph (c), at the expiry of the period referred to in that paragraph, and unless the decision-making assistance agreement provides otherwise, be disqualified from being a decision-making assistant for the appointer where the decision-making assistant is the civil partner of the appointer and subsequently—

(a) the civil partnership is annulled or dissolved (other than where the dissolution occurs by virtue of the parties to that civil partnership marrying each other) either—

(i) under the law of the State, or

(ii) under the law of another state and is, by means of that annulment or dissolution not or no longer a subsisting valid civil partnership under the law of the State,

(b) a written agreement to separate is entered into between the civil partners, or

(c) subject to section 2 (2), the civil partners separate and cease to cohabit for a continuous period of 12 months.

(3) Subject to section 2 (2), a decision-making assistant shall, at the expiry of the period referred to in this subsection, and unless the decision-making assistance agreement provides otherwise, be disqualified from being a decision-making assistant for the appointer where the decision-making assistant is the cohabitant of the appointer and subsequently the cohabitants separate and cease to cohabit for a continuous period of 12 months.

(4) Subject to subsection (5), where, subsequent to the appointment of a decision-making assistant—

(a) the decision-making assistant is convicted of an offence in relation to the person or property of the appointer or the person or property of a child of the appointer,

(b) a safety or barring order is made against the decision-making assistant in relation to the appointer or a child of the appointer,

(c) the decision-making assistant becomes an undischarged bankrupt or subject to a debt settlement arrangement or personal insolvency arrangement which is current or is convicted of an offence involving fraud or dishonesty,

(d) the decision-making assistant becomes a person in respect of whom a declaration under section 819 of the Act of 2014 has been made or is deemed to be subject to such a declaration by virtue of Chapter 5 of Part 14 of that Act,

(e) the decision-making assistant becomes a person who is subject or is deemed to be subject to a disqualification order within the meaning of Chapter 4 of Part 14 of the Act of 2014 by virtue of that Chapter or any other provisions of that Act,

(f) the decision-making assistant becomes—

(i) the owner or registered provider of a designated centre or mental health facility in which the appointer resides, or

(ii) a person residing with, or an employee or agent of, such owner or registered provider, as the case may be,

unless the decision-making assistant is a spouse, civil partner, cohabitant, parent, child or sibling of the appointer,

(g) the decision-making assistant is convicted of an offence under section 34 , 80 , 90 or 145 , or

(h) the decision-making assistant—

(i) enters into a decision-making assistance agreement as a relevant person,

(ii) enters into a co-decision-making agreement as a relevant person,

(iii) has an enduring power of attorney or enduring power under the Act of 1996 registered in respect of himself or herself, or

(iv) becomes the subject of a declaration under section 37 (1),

the decision-making assistant shall be disqualified from being a decision-making assistant for the appointer with effect from the date on which the decision-making assistant falls within any of paragraphs (a) to (h).

(5) Subsection (4)(c), (d) and (e) shall not apply insofar as the decision-making assistant’s functions under the decision-making assistance agreement relate to personal welfare.