The Mental Capacity Act is designed to protect people who cannot make decisions for themselves or lack the mental capacity to do so.

This could be due to a mental health condition, a severe learning difficulty, a brain injury, a stroke or unconsciousness due to an anaesthetic or sudden accident.

Someone can lack the capacity to make some decisions (for example, to decide on complex financial issues) but still have the capacity to make other decisions (for example, to decide what items to buy at the local shop).