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.

Revoking an LPA — How to Cancel a Lasting Power of Attorney

Who can revoke an LPA?

The donor — the person who made the Lasting Power of Attorney — can revoke it at any time, for any reason, as long as they still have mental capacity. No one else can revoke an LPA on the donor's behalf unless the Court of Protection orders it.

Common reasons for revoking an LPA include:

Divorce or separation from an attorney
Loss of trust in an attorney
Wanting to appoint different attorneys
Wanting to change preferences or instructions
An attorney is no longer willing or able to act
The donor's circumstances have changed significantly

How do you revoke a registered LPA?

The process for revoking a registered LPA involves several steps:

Step 1: Sign a deed of revocation

The donor must create a written document — a "deed of revocation" — that clearly states they are revoking the LPA. This document must:

Clearly identify which LPA is being revoked (Property and Financial Affairs, Health and Welfare, or both)
Be signed by the donor
Be witnessed by an independent person
Be dated

Step 2: Notify the OPG

Send the original registered LPA document (or a certified copy) to the Office of the Public Guardian, together with a covering letter or the deed of revocation. The OPG will update their records. The address is:

Office of the Public Guardian
PO Box 16185
Birmingham
B2 2WH

Step 3: Notify your attorneys

All attorneys named in the LPA must be informed that it has been revoked. Send them a copy of the deed of revocation. From the date they are notified, they no longer have authority to act.

Step 4: Notify organisations

Contact every organisation that holds a copy of the LPA or has the attorney's details on file. This includes banks, building societies, investment providers, care homes, and any other organisation where the LPA has been registered or used.

Can you revoke an unregistered LPA?

Yes. If the LPA has been signed but not yet registered, the donor can revoke it by destroying the document or by written notice to the attorneys. It is still good practice to put the revocation in writing.

Can the Court of Protection revoke an LPA?

Yes, in specific circumstances. The Court of Protection can revoke an LPA if:

The donor lacks capacity and it is in their best interests
An attorney is not acting in the donor's best interests
An attorney is behaving dishonestly or abusing their powers
The LPA was obtained through fraud or undue pressure

Anyone can raise concerns about an attorney with the OPG, which can investigate and apply to the court if necessary.

Can an attorney resign?

An attorney can give up their appointment — called "disclaiming" — by notifying the donor and the OPG in writing. If there are other attorneys or replacement attorneys, they continue to act. If the disclaiming attorney was the only attorney (and there are no replacements), the LPA can no longer be used.

What happens after revocation?

Once an LPA is revoked:

The attorneys immediately lose all authority to act
Any decisions made by the attorney after revocation are invalid
The donor manages their own affairs (or creates a new LPA)
The OPG removes the LPA from their register

If you are revoking an LPA because you want to make changes, you should create a new LPA to replace it. Read our guide on updating your LPA for more detail.

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.

Creating a replacement LPA costs £39 per document with myLPA Guide (or £69 for both types), plus £92 per document for OPG registration. Start your free LPA questionnaire to create your replacement today.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I revoke my LPA?

Sign a deed of revocation (a written statement that you are cancelling the LPA), send the original LPA and deed to the OPG, notify all your attorneys, and inform any organisations that hold a copy. You must have mental capacity to revoke an LPA.

Can I revoke my LPA if I have lost capacity?

No. If you have lost mental capacity, you cannot revoke your LPA. Only the Court of Protection can revoke an LPA on behalf of someone who lacks capacity, and only in specific circumstances such as attorney misconduct.

Does revoking an LPA cost anything?

There is no fee to revoke an LPA. However, if you create a replacement LPA, that costs £39 per document with myLPA Guide plus £92 per document for OPG registration.

Can an attorney refuse to accept the revocation?

No. A valid revocation by the donor is legally binding. Once the attorney is notified, they no longer have authority to act. Any actions they take after being notified are invalid.

What if I only want to remove one attorney?

You cannot selectively remove one attorney from an LPA. You must revoke the entire LPA and create a new one with your preferred attorneys. This ensures the new LPA is properly signed and registered.

Can an attorney resign from an LPA?

Yes. An attorney can disclaim (give up) their appointment by notifying the donor and the OPG in writing. If there are other attorneys or replacement attorneys, they continue to act. If the resigning attorney was the only one, the LPA can no longer be used.