Edinburgh firms drive 56 per cent increase in POA activity during Dementia Trust Campaign
The Dementia Trust is celebrating a successful first year of its ‘Planning Ahead’ campaign, which encourages Scottish families to have early conversations around power of attorney.
The 2026 pilot of ‘POA Month’ in Edinburgh delivered a measurable impact with participating firms reporting a 56 per cent increase in POA activity compared with available data from February 2025.
In total, Edinburgh offices at Ralph Sayer, Mcdougall Mcqueen, Blackadders and Balfour and Manson supported 151 people with their powers of attorney during the course of the campaign. Each firm pledged to raise awareness among clients and donate 10 per cent of their power of attorney income to The Dementia Trust, collectively raising more than £7,000.
Dylan Harper, chair at The Dementia Trust, said:
“These results are incredible and demonstrate what can be achieved when the legal sector and charities work together towards a shared goal. I am delighted that the campaign has made a real difference for families across Edinburgh and I look forward to building on this success to make an even greater impact as we prepare for Planning Ahead 2027.”
Firms gained access to bespoke dementia and capacity awareness training, developed and delivered by Sandra McDonald, chair emeritus at Dementia Trust and former public guardian for Scotland, alongside dementia expert Professor June Andrews. The training provided practical guidance on working with clients and families navigating capacity concerns.
Ms McDonald said:
“Planning Ahead is about giving firms the tools, confidence and shared language to start those conversations earlier and make discussions about power of attorney routine. Fewer than one in ten adults in Scotland currently has a registered power of attorney, if we can shift that even slightly, it will relieve a huge amount of stress for families.”
Get involved
The Edinburgh pilot has shown the difference early action can make. With your support, we can reach more people, help more families plan ahead, and reduce the distress and delay that can happen when legal authority is not in place. Please consider making a donation and helping us take this work further across Scotland.
If you are a legal firm
These results show what can happen when practical action, trusted partners and a shared purpose come together. If your firm, organisation or network would like to help us expand the Power of Attorney campaign, we would love to start a conversation. Find out more below.
