The document on this page is a sample of a deputy order from the Court of Protection and is for reference only.

Deputy orders are legal instruments giving one or more people (the ‘deputy’ or ‘deputies’) authority to make decisions for another person who lacks mental capacity. Mental capacity means the ability to make certain decisions for yourself.

Deputy orders cover decisions about either property and financial matters (called ‘property and affairs’ on the court order) or health and personal care (‘personal welfare’). The same person can act as deputy for both kinds of decisions but, in that case, they will have two separate orders.

To be valid, the order must have an embossed Court of Protection stamp on the front page showing the date the order was issued. The stamp is circled in red on the sample shown here.

The order will also show the name of the deputy or deputies and the name of the person they are making decisions for. The order then lists the kinds of decisions the deputy or deputies can make for the person without mental capacity and those they can’t make.

You can also search the Office of the Public Guardian register to confirm that someone has a deputy acting for them.

See these pages on acting as a deputy for more information about the power a deputy order gives someone to make decisions for another person.

There are separate pages showing examples of lasting powers of attorney and enduring powers of attorney, which are other legal instruments for making decisions for someone else.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/deputy-court-order-valid-example