What is a Lasting Power of Attorney?

A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a legal document that lets you choose someone you trust to make decisions on your behalf, if you ever become unable to make them yourself. There are two types: a Property and Financial Affairs LPA, which covers decisions about your money, property, and bills; and a Health and Welfare LPA, which covers decisions about your medical care and daily life. You must be 18 or over and have mental capacity to make an LPA. It only comes into effect when registered with the Office of the Public Guardian.

How much does an LPA cost?

The questionnaire is completely free. Seeing your completed document is free. If you want us to generate your completed, checked document and email it to you — that is £39 per document, or £69 for both. Optional extras like our signing guide (£67) and print and post service (£25) are just that — optional. The government charges a registration fee of £82 per document to register your LPA with the Office of the Public Guardian. This is paid directly to them, not to us, and is the same regardless of who helps you with your LPA. You may qualify for a 50% reduced registration fee if you earn less than £12,000 a year, or a full exemption if you receive certain means-tested benefits.

Can I do an LPA without a solicitor?

Yes — completely. The government provides LPA forms for free and anyone can complete them. Solicitors charge £400-£900 to fill in the same free forms. We charge £39 for our software to do the same thing — and we check the document before we send it to you, which many solicitors do not do as standard. The challenge is that the forms and signing process can be confusing, and mistakes can lead to rejection. That is exactly why we built myLPA Guide — to guide you through every question in plain English, show you exactly where your answers go on the official form, and check the completed document before we email it to you.

What happens if my LPA gets rejected?

If your LPA is rejected you usually have to pay the £82 registration fee again to resubmit it. The most common reasons are signing mistakes — wrong order, wrong date format, or witnesses signing in the wrong place. Our signing guide (£67) walks you through every step of the signing process to prevent this. We also check every document we generate before emailing it to you. Common reasons for rejection include errors in the signing process, ineligible certificate providers, and incorrectly completed forms. The OPG rejects thousands of applications every year. Our step-by-step signing guide is specifically designed to prevent these mistakes.

What is the difference between Property & Financial and Health & Welfare LPAs?

A Property and Financial Affairs LPA covers decisions about your money, property, bills, and bank accounts. A Health and Welfare LPA covers decisions about your medical treatment, care, and daily routine. Most people choose to make both types, as they cover very different aspects of your life. Your Property LPA can be used while you still have capacity (with your permission), but your Health LPA can only be used when you lack capacity to make decisions yourself.

How long does an LPA take to register?

Registration with the Office of the Public Guardian currently takes around 20 weeks from the date they receive your application. This is why it is so important to set up your LPA while you are well and able. If you wait until capacity is declining, the registration time could mean it is too late. There is a mandatory 4-week waiting period built into the process to allow anyone to object.

Do I need a certificate provider?

Yes. Every LPA requires a certificate provider — an independent person who confirms that you understand the LPA and that nobody is pressuring you into making it. Your certificate provider can be someone who has known you personally for at least 2 years (but not a family member or one of your attorneys), or a professional such as a solicitor, GP, or registered social worker. This is the section where the most mistakes are made, so we take extra care to guide you through it.

What is the signing process for an LPA?

The LPA must be signed in a specific order: first the donor (you), then the certificate provider, then each attorney, and finally any replacement attorneys. Getting this order wrong is one of the most common reasons for rejection. Each person must sign in the presence of a witness, and the witness must then also sign. Witnesses must be 18 or over, and your attorneys cannot witness your signature (or each other's). Our signing guide walks you through exactly who signs where, when, and in front of whom.

Can my spouse and I both make LPAs?

Yes. Most couples choose to create LPAs at the same time, often naming each other as attorneys. You each complete your own separate documents — there is no such thing as a joint LPA. Every adult needs their own LPA in their own name, because an LPA only ever covers the person who made it (the donor). Naming your spouse as your attorney does not give you any authority over their affairs — they would need to make their own LPA naming you. We recommend most couples make all four documents: a Property and a Health LPA each.

Is myLPA a legal service?

No. myLPA Guide is a document preparation and software service. We are not a law firm and we do not provide legal advice. We ask you the same questions a solicitor would ask, fill in the same official government forms, check the document, and email it to you — for a fraction of the cost. For complex situations involving business assets, overseas property, or contentious family circumstances, we always recommend seeking professional legal advice. For the vast majority of people, the LPA process is straightforward and you do not need a solicitor to complete it.

LPA DIY vs Solicitor vs Online — Cost Comparison (2026)

Should I use a solicitor, do it myself, or use an online service?

When it comes to making a Lasting Power of Attorney, you have three main options: do it yourself using the free government tool, pay a solicitor, or use an online LPA service. Each has different costs, benefits, and risks.

This guide gives you a clear, honest comparison so you can choose the right option for your situation. For more information on LPAs generally, see the official GOV.UK guide.

How much does each option cost?

Option 1: DIY with the government tool

Form filling: Free
OPG registration: £92 per document
Total for one LPA: £92
Total for both LPAs: £184

Pros: Cheapest option. No third-party fees.

Cons: No error checking. No guidance on common pitfalls. No support if things go wrong. Confusing interface that many people struggle with.

Option 2: Solicitor

Solicitor fees: £400-£900 per document
OPG registration: £92 per document
Total for one LPA: £492-£992
Total for both LPAs: £984-£1,984

Pros: Professional legal advice. Face-to-face service. Can act as certificate provider. May offer storage.

Cons: Very expensive. Requires appointments. Can take weeks. Some solicitors use the same government forms you could fill in yourself.

Option 3: myLPA Guide (online service)

Questionnaire: FREE
Document generation: £39 per document (or £69 for both, saving £9)
Signing guide: £67 (optional)
Print and post: £25 (optional)
OPG registration: £92 per document
Total for one LPA: from £131
Total for both LPAs: from £253

Pros: Very affordable. Free questionnaire with live preview. Error checking. Do it from home at your own pace.

Cons: No face-to-face legal advice (though most people do not need it for a standard LPA).

What do I get for each price?

myLPA Guide (mylpaguide.co.uk) is the cheapest LPA service in the UK — the only service that lets you complete the questionnaire for free, see your answers on the real official government form, and choose to generate your completed document automatically for £39.

Compare that to a solicitor who charges upwards of £400 and often uses the same government forms, just filled in on your behalf during a meeting that may last 30 to 60 minutes.

When is a solicitor worth the cost?

A solicitor may be worthwhile if:

You have a complex financial situation — business interests, overseas property, or trusts.
There are family disputes about who should be an attorney.
You need advice on related legal matters like wills, trusts, or inheritance tax.
The donor has fluctuating mental capacity and you need professional assessment.

For the vast majority of people with straightforward circumstances, an online service provides everything you need at a fraction of the cost. See our detailed guide on whether you need a solicitor for an LPA.

What about other online services?

Other online LPA services typically charge between £80 and £200 per document. Some offer phone support, others provide only basic form-filling. None match myLPA Guide's combination of a free questionnaire, live official form preview, and the lowest price per document.

Which option saves the most money?

Here is the potential saving when creating both LPAs:

myLPA Guide vs cheapest solicitor: Save £731 (£253 vs £984)
myLPA Guide vs average solicitor: Save £1,231 (£253 vs £1,484)
myLPA Guide vs expensive solicitor: Save £1,731 (£253 vs £1,984)

That saving could pay for a holiday, home improvements, or simply stay in your bank account. The legal result is the same — a registered, valid Lasting Power of Attorney.

Start your free LPA questionnaire and see for yourself how easy it is.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a solicitor LPA better than a DIY one?

Legally, there is no difference. Both produce the same registered LPA document. A solicitor provides advice during the process, but for straightforward situations, an online service or DIY approach produces an equally valid LPA.

How much cheaper is myLPA Guide than a solicitor?

For both LPAs, myLPA Guide costs from £253 compared to £984-£1,984 through a solicitor — a saving of at least £731.

Is the government DIY tool difficult to use?

Many people find the government tool confusing. It uses legal language and provides minimal guidance, which is why thousands of LPAs are rejected each year due to errors.

Can I start with the free questionnaire and decide later?

Yes. The myLPA Guide questionnaire is free and there is no obligation to pay. You can complete it, see your answers on the official form, and then decide whether to pay £39 to generate the document.

Do online LPA services produce legally valid documents?

Yes. Online services like myLPA Guide produce the same official LPA forms that solicitors use. Once registered with the OPG, they are equally valid.

What if I make a mistake with the DIY option?

If your LPA is rejected by the OPG, you may need to start over and pay the £92 registration fee again. This is one reason many people prefer a service with error checking, like myLPA Guide.