If you’re married or in a civil partnership, you may have assumed that your spouse would automatically be able to deal with your bank account and pensions, and make decisions about your healthcare, if you lose the ability to do so. This is not the case. Without an LPA, they won’t have the authority. Many banks effectively freeze a joint account, preventing new instructions if an account holder loses capacity. They may also restrict the level of payments that can be made without obtaining their approval.