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.

Can my attorney access my bank account?

Yes, once the LPA is registered and your attorney presents it to your bank, they can manage your accounts on your behalf. Most major banks have procedures for registering an LPA.

Can my attorney sell my house?

Yes, unless you include an instruction that specifically prevents this. If you want to restrict your attorneys from selling your property, include this in the instructions section of the form.

Can I still manage my own finances after making this LPA?

Yes. Making an LPA does not take away your own rights. As long as you have mental capacity, you can continue managing your own finances. The LPA simply gives your attorneys the ability to help.

What if my attorney mismanages my money?

Attorneys have a legal duty to act in your best interests and keep proper records. If they misuse their powers, you (or someone else on your behalf) can report them to the OPG, who can investigate and remove them.

Does this LPA cover my business?

Yes, a Property and Financial Affairs LPA can cover business interests. However, if you have a complex business structure, you may want to include specific instructions about how your attorneys should handle it.

How much does a Property and Financial Affairs LPA cost?

Using myLPA Guide, it costs £39 for the document plus £92 for OPG registration — a total of £131. If you also want a Health and Welfare LPA, both documents cost £69 plus £184 in registration fees — £253 total.

Property and Financial Affairs LPA Explained — Complete Guide

What is a Property and Financial Affairs LPA?

A Property and Financial Affairs LPA is a legal document that gives one or more people you trust — called attorneys — the authority to make financial decisions on your behalf. This covers a wide range of matters including:

Managing your bank accounts and savings
Paying your bills and debts
Buying, selling, or renting property
Managing your investments and pensions
Dealing with HM Revenue and Customs
Claiming benefits on your behalf
Running your business (if applicable)

This type of LPA uses the official form LP1F and is the most commonly created LPA in England and Wales. You can learn more at gov.uk/power-of-attorney.

When can this LPA be used?

This is a key distinction from the Health and Welfare LPA. A Property and Financial Affairs LPA can be used in two scenarios:

While you have mental capacity — with your permission. For example, if you are travelling, in hospital, or simply want someone to help manage your finances.
If you lose mental capacity — your attorneys can then act on your behalf without needing your consent.

You choose when you set up the LPA whether it can be used while you still have capacity or only when you lose it. Most people opt to allow use while they still have capacity, as this provides maximum flexibility.

Why is this type of LPA so important?

Without a Property and Financial Affairs LPA, nobody has the legal authority to access your bank accounts, pay your mortgage, or manage your finances if you become incapacitated. This can cause serious problems:

Bills go unpaid — potentially including your mortgage, leading to arrears
Your bank may freeze your accounts
Nobody can sell or manage your property
Your family would need to apply to the Court of Protection for a "deputyship" — a process that costs thousands of pounds and can take 6–12 months

See our article on what happens if you don't have an LPA for more on the consequences.

Who can be an attorney for a financial LPA?

Anyone aged 18 or over with mental capacity can be an attorney, with one additional restriction for this type: the attorney must not be bankrupt or subject to a debt relief order. This makes sense — someone who has had difficulty managing their own finances may not be the best person to manage yours.

If your attorney becomes bankrupt after the LPA is registered, they are automatically disqualified from acting as your financial attorney. If they are your only attorney and you have no replacements, the LPA becomes unusable. This is why naming replacement attorneys is so important.

What decisions can your attorneys make?

Your attorneys can make any financial decision on your behalf unless you restrict their powers in the instructions section of the form. Common instructions people include are:

"My attorneys must not sell my home without the agreement of all attorneys."
"My attorneys must keep accounts of all financial transactions."
"My attorneys must not make gifts exceeding £100 per person per year."

Without specific restrictions, your attorneys have broad powers. It is worth thinking carefully about what limits, if any, you want to put in place.

How do you set up a Property and Financial Affairs LPA?

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.

To get started:

Visit myLPA Guide's free questionnaire
Select Property and Financial Affairs LPA
Answer the plain-English questions about your attorneys, preferences, and instructions
Review your answers on the actual official LP1F form
Generate your completed document for £39 (or get both LPA types for £69)
Print, sign, and send to the OPG with the £92 registration fee

Do you need both types of LPA?

A Property and Financial Affairs LPA only covers financial decisions. It does not give your attorneys any power over your medical treatment, care, or welfare. For that, you need a separate Health and Welfare LPA.

Most advisers recommend creating both types. With myLPA Guide, you can get both documents for £69 (saving £9 compared to buying them separately). Read our guide on whether you need both types of LPA.

Property and Financial Affairs LPA Explained — Complete Guide

What is a Property and Financial Affairs LPA?

When can this LPA be used?

Why is this type of LPA so important?

Who can be an attorney for a financial LPA?

What decisions can your attorneys make?

How do you set up a Property and Financial Affairs LPA?

Do you need both types of LPA?

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my attorney access my bank account?

Can my attorney sell my house?

Can I still manage my own finances after making this LPA?

What if my attorney mismanages my money?

Does this LPA cover my business?

How much does a Property and Financial Affairs LPA cost?

Related Articles

Health and Welfare LPA Explained — Complete Guide

Do I Need Both Types of LPA? Property & Financial vs Health & Welfare

How to Set Up a Lasting Power of Attorney — Step-by-Step 2026 Guide

What Happens If You Don't Have an LPA? The Real Consequences

LPA Cost Breakdown — Every Fee Explained (2026)

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