Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill 2026

Public bill · Government · Presented

Allows the wardship court to give more time in certain individual cases to complete a capacity declaration under the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015, where the current deadline is about to run out and would otherwise be missed. It is aimed at avoiding legal problems in wardship cases, while keeping the court able to grant only reasonable, necessary extensions in the interests of justice. It matters because it helps prevent people being caught out by a deadline they cannot meet, while the wardship system is still being wound down.

Formal long title

Bill entitled an Act to enable the wardship court to extend, in certain circumstances, in respect of certain individual wardship cases, the time period specified in section 54(2) or section 54(3) of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 for a capacity declaration to be made under section 55(1) of the Act, in circumstances where the expiry of that time period is imminent and will not be met in those individual cases; for these and other purposes to amend the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015; and to provide for related matters.

Last updated 9 April 2026