New law to help manage affairs of people who are missing
皇冠体育app Guardianship (Missing Persons) Act 2017 comes into force in England and Wales on 31 July 2019.
皇冠体育app Ministry of Justice (MOJ) has confirmed that the will come into force on Wednesday 31 July.
皇冠体育app law creates a new legal status of guardian of the affairs of a missing person, allowing someone to act in their best interests after they have been gone for 90 days or more.
皇冠体育app act is informally known as Claudia鈥檚 Law, as former solicitor Peter Lawrence campaigned for a change after his daughter鈥檚 disappearance in 2009.
Justice Minister Paul Maynard said:
Claudia鈥檚 Law will mean families can oversee the financial and property affairs of their missing loved one 鈥� removing a huge burden at such a traumatic time.
Applications for guardianship will need to be made to the High Court and once appointed, guardians will be supervised by the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG).
Read the press release 鈥楥laudia鈥檚 law鈥� to lift families of missing people out of legal limbo