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.

How do I use an LPA at a bank?

Contact the bank to register the LPA. You can provide a certified copy or use the OPG's online "Use an LPA" service to give the bank a verification code. Most major banks have specialist LPA teams. It is best to register the LPA before you need to use it.

Can I use a Property and Financial Affairs LPA before the donor loses capacity?

Yes. A Property and Financial Affairs LPA can be used as soon as it is registered, with the donor's consent. This is useful for practical help with banking and paperwork. The donor can still manage their own affairs alongside the attorney.

When can a Health and Welfare LPA be used?

A Health and Welfare LPA can only be used when the donor lacks the mental capacity to make the specific decision in question. It cannot be used while the donor has capacity to decide for themselves.

What if a bank refuses to accept my LPA?

Banks are legally required to accept a registered LPA. If they refuse, ask for their LPA specialist team, provide the OPG access code for online verification, and if necessary contact the OPG for support or make a formal complaint.

Should I give organisations the original LPA?

No. Always use certified copies. The original registered LPA should be kept in a safe place. You can make as many certified copies as you need. Each page must be signed and dated confirming it is a true copy.

Do attorneys get paid?

Attorneys are not automatically entitled to payment. However, they can claim reasonable out-of-pocket expenses from the donor's funds. Professional attorneys (such as solicitors) may charge for their time if this was agreed in advance.

Using Your LPA — How Attorneys Use a Registered Lasting Power of Attorney

When can a registered LPA be used?

A Lasting Power of Attorney must be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) before it can be used. Registration takes approximately 20 weeks. Once registered:

A Property and Financial Affairs LPA can be used straight away — even while the donor still has mental capacity, as long as the donor consents. This is useful for practical help with banking or paperwork.
A Health and Welfare LPA can only be used when the donor lacks the mental capacity to make a specific decision themselves.

How do you present an LPA to organisations?

When an attorney needs to use the LPA, they present it to the relevant organisation — such as a bank, hospital, care home, utility company, or local authority. There are several ways to do this:

Certified copies

Attorneys should never hand over the original registered LPA. Instead, they should use certified copies. A certified copy can be made by the donor, an attorney, or a solicitor. Each page must be signed and dated with a statement confirming it is a true copy of the original.

The OPG Use an LPA service

The OPG provides an online "Use an LPA" service that generates a unique access code. The attorney gives this code to the organisation, which can then verify the LPA online. This is increasingly the preferred method for many banks and organisations.

Registering with banks

Most banks allow you to register the LPA in advance, before the attorney actually needs to use it. This means the attorney's authority is already on file, and they can act quickly if needed. Contact the donor's bank to ask about their LPA registration process.

What can attorneys do with a Property and Financial Affairs LPA?

Once the LPA is registered and in use, attorneys can:

Access and manage the donor's bank accounts
Pay bills — mortgage, rent, utilities, council tax, insurance
Manage investments and savings
Sell or manage property
Deal with tax returns and HMRC
Claim benefits and pensions
Make small gifts on special occasions (birthdays, Christmas)
Manage business affairs if the donor is a business owner

What can attorneys do with a Health and Welfare LPA?

When the donor lacks capacity for a specific health or welfare decision, attorneys can:

Consent to or refuse medical treatment
Decide where the donor lives
Make decisions about day-to-day care
Choose care homes or care providers
Make decisions about diet and daily routine
Give or refuse consent to life-sustaining treatment (if the LPA grants this power)

What must attorneys always do?

Attorneys have legal duties under the Mental Capacity Act 2005:

Act in the donor's best interests — not their own interests or the interests of beneficiaries
Have regard to the donor's past and present wishes — including any preferences and instructions in the LPA
Consider less restrictive options — before making any decision
Keep the donor's money separate from their own
Keep records of decisions made and money spent
Not delegate their decision-making authority to others (though they can get professional advice)

What if an organisation refuses to accept the LPA?

Banks and other organisations are legally required to accept a validly registered LPA. If an organisation refuses:

Ask to speak to their LPA or bereavement team (most large banks have specialist departments)
Provide the OPG access code so they can verify the LPA online
Quote the relevant legislation — the Mental Capacity Act 2005
Contact the OPG for support if the organisation continues to refuse
Make a formal complaint to the organisation

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.

If you have not yet set up your LPA, complete your LPA questionnaire free at myLPA Guide. Both LPA types cost £69 to generate, plus the OPG registration fee of £92 per document. Solicitors typically charge £400-£900 for the same service.

Tips for attorneys

Register the LPA with the donor's bank and financial institutions in advance
Keep certified copies readily available — you may need to provide them to multiple organisations
Use the OPG's online "Use an LPA" service to generate access codes
Keep detailed records of all financial transactions
Read and follow any preferences and instructions in the LPA carefully
Consult other attorneys if the LPA requires joint decisions
Seek professional advice for complex decisions (e.g., selling property, managing investments)

Using Your LPA — How Attorneys Use a Registered Lasting Power of Attorney

When can a registered LPA be used?

How do you present an LPA to organisations?

Certified copies

The OPG Use an LPA service

Registering with banks

What can attorneys do with a Property and Financial Affairs LPA?

What can attorneys do with a Health and Welfare LPA?

What must attorneys always do?

What if an organisation refuses to accept the LPA?

Tips for attorneys

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I use an LPA at a bank?

Can I use a Property and Financial Affairs LPA before the donor loses capacity?

When can a Health and Welfare LPA be used?

What if a bank refuses to accept my LPA?

Should I give organisations the original LPA?

Do attorneys get paid?

Related Articles

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

LPA Preferences and Instructions — How to Add Conditions to Your LPA

How to Register an LPA with the OPG — Step by Step Guide

Who Can Be an Attorney on an LPA? Requirements and Rules

Updating Your LPA — When and How to Change Your Lasting Power of Attorney

Ready to create your LPA?