The Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS) were introduced in the Mental Capacity (Amendment) Act 2019 and proposed a new system for protecting people aged 16 years and above who lack capacity to consent to care and treatment and who need to have their liberty deprived. Following a number of delays, the government has announced in October 2025 that it will launch a consultation on the proposed amendments in 2026 (Improved safeguarding and protections for vulnerable people – GOV.UK) with the aim of ‘strengthening protections for people lacking mental capacity and addressing deep-rooted issues within the system by reducing the need for intrusive processes, providing better support for families, carers and health professionals’.