Mental Capacity Act (Northern Ireland) 2016

Meaning of “lacks capacity”

This section has no associated Explanatory Notes

3.—(1) For the purposes of this Act, a person who is 16 or over lacks capacity in relation to a matter if, at the material time, the person is unable to make a decision for himself or herself about the matter (within the meaning given by section 4) because of an impairment of, or a disturbance in the functioning of, the mind or brain.

(2) It does not matter—

(a)whether the impairment or disturbance is permanent or temporary;

(b)what the cause of the impairment or disturbance is.

(3) In particular, it does not matter whether the impairment or disturbance is caused by a disorder or disability or otherwise than by a disorder or disability.