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Living Wills & advance decisions in Croxley Green, Rickmansworth, Watford & Hemel Hempstead
A living Will, formally an Advance Decision to Refuse Treatment, is a legally binding document that records the medical treatments you would want to refuse if you couldn't make or communicate the decision yourself. Horcos prepares advance decisions for a fixed fee agreed in writing before we start, with unhurried home visits across South Hertfordshire and Middlesex.
What a living Will does
Most of us have views about the medical care we would (and wouldn't) want if the worst happened. A living Will turns those views into a document that the people caring for you must follow by law in England and Wales.
It becomes relevant only if a time comes when you're unable to make or communicate your own decisions, for example after a serious accident, stroke, or in the later stages of an illness such as dementia. Until then, you remain in charge of every decision about your care, and you can change or cancel your advance decision at any time while you have capacity.
For a refusal of life-sustaining treatment to be valid, the law sets extra requirements: it must be in writing, signed and witnessed, and must state clearly that it applies even if your life is at risk. Getting this wording right is exactly where professional drafting earns its keep: a vague or badly worded document may simply be set aside when it matters most.
What it can and can't cover
✓ A living Will can
- Refuse specific medical treatments, and say in which circumstances
- Refuse life-sustaining treatment, if the extra legal formalities are met
- Apply to future situations you describe, even if you can no longer speak for yourself
- Be changed or cancelled by you at any time while you have capacity
✕ A living Will can't
- Demand that a particular treatment is given
- Request anything against the law
- Refuse basic care: being kept warm, clean and comfortable, or the offer of food and drink by mouth
- Appoint someone to make decisions for you; that's what a health & welfare LPA does
Living Will or health & welfare LPA: which do I need?
They solve the same problem from two directions, and many clients use both.
Living Will
You decide in advance. Your own refusals of treatment, recorded now, binding later. Best for people with clear, settled views about specific treatments or conditions.
Health & welfare LPA
Someone you trust decides at the time. Your appointed attorneys weigh the actual situation and act in your best interests. Best where flexibility matters more than fixed instructions.
If you have both, the documents interact: depending on which was made later and how the LPA is worded, one can override the other. We make sure yours are drafted to work together, not against each other.
How it works
This is a personal document, and we treat it that way: no rushing, no jargon, and nothing signed until you're certain.
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Free chat
A gentle, no-obligation conversation about what you want to achieve, with your fixed fee confirmed in writing.
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Home visit
We talk through the treatments and circumstances you want to cover, at your pace. Family are welcome to join if you'd like them there.
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Drafting & review
We draft your advance decision in precise, legally effective wording and review every line with you.
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Signing & sharing
We guide you through correct signing and witnessing, and advise on who should hold copies (your GP, your family, your attorneys) so it's found when it's needed.
Living Will questions, answered
What is a living Will?
Formally an Advance Decision to Refuse Treatment (sometimes called an advance directive), it's a legally binding record of the treatments you'd want to refuse, and in what circumstances, if you couldn't decide or communicate for yourself.
Is it legally binding?
Yes. A valid advance decision must be followed by those caring for you in England and Wales. Refusals of life-sustaining treatment carry extra formalities: written, signed, witnessed, and explicitly stating the refusal applies even if your life is at risk.
How is it different from a health & welfare LPA?
A living Will records your own advance decisions; an LPA appoints people to decide for you at the time. Many clients have both, and if you do, they need to be drafted to work consistently, which we check. More on LPAs →
What can't a living Will do?
It can only refuse treatment. It can't demand a specific treatment, request anything unlawful, or refuse basic care such as warmth, cleanliness and the offer of food and drink by mouth.
Is a living Will the same as my Will?
No. Your Will deals with your estate after death; a living Will deals with your medical treatment during your lifetime. They're separate documents, often arranged in the same visit.
Can I change my mind later?
Yes. While you have capacity you can update or cancel your advance decision at any time. We recommend reviewing it every few years, or after any significant change in your health, so it always reflects your current wishes.
Putting everything in order? Most clients arrange a living Will alongside their Will and Lasting Powers of Attorney. One home visit can cover all three, and we'll make sure the documents work together.
Your wishes, properly recorded
Book a free, no-obligation chat about advance decisions. Unhurried, plain English, entirely at your pace.
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