Introduction
1.These explanatory notes relate to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 which received Royal Assent on 7 April 2005. They have been prepared by the Department for Constitutional Affairs and the Department of Health in order to assist the reader in understanding the Act. They do not form part of the Act and have not been endorsed by Parliament.
2.The notes need to be read in conjunction with the Act. They are not, and are not meant to be, a comprehensive description of the Act. So where a provision or part of a provision does not seem to require any explanation or comment, none is given.