Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) Cost Calculator

What Is a Lasting Power of Attorney?

A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a legal document that gives a person you trust — your "attorney" — the authority to make decisions on your behalf if you lose mental capacity or simply choose to let them act for you. There are two types of LPA in England and Wales:

1. Property and Financial Affairs LPA

Allows your attorney to manage your bank accounts, pay bills, collect income and benefits, manage investments, and buy or sell property on your behalf. You can authorise your attorney to act while you still have capacity (for convenience) or only once you have lost capacity — whichever you prefer.

2. Health and Welfare LPA

Covers decisions about where you live, your day-to-day care, medical treatment, and — if you wish — refusing life-sustaining treatment. This type can only be used once you have lost mental capacity; your attorney cannot make health decisions on your behalf while you still have capacity to make them yourself.

Why You Need an LPA Before Capacity Is Lost

Many people assume that a spouse or close family member automatically has the right to manage their affairs. This is not correct. Without an LPA, even a spouse cannot access a joint bank account that has been frozen due to one owner's incapacity, cannot make decisions about care or medical treatment, and cannot sell the family home. Without an LPA, the only route is to apply to the Court of Protection for a Deputyship Order — a process that typically costs £3,000–£5,000 in legal fees, takes six months to over a year, and results in ongoing annual reporting requirements. Creating an LPA in advance costs a fraction of that and takes effect as soon as it is needed.

Who Can Be an Attorney?

An attorney must be aged 18 or over and must have mental capacity themselves. For Property and Financial Affairs LPAs, the attorney must not be bankrupt or subject to a debt relief order. Attorneys are usually close family members or trusted friends, but you can also appoint a professional such as a solicitor. You can appoint more than one attorney, specifying whether they must act "jointly" (all together) or "jointly and severally" (any one of them can act alone). Multiple attorneys provide resilience if one is unavailable.

The Certificate Provider

A certificate provider is an independent person who confirms that you understand the LPA and are not being pressured into signing it. They must know you personally or be a professional such as a doctor or solicitor. They cannot be a family member, an attorney, or a close associate of an attorney. The certificate provider's role is an important safeguard — it is one of the reasons LPAs carry greater legal protection than the older Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA).

The Registration Process

After the LPA is signed by all parties, it must be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) before it can be used. The registration process:

• Submit the completed LPA form (paper or online) with the £82 registration fee.
• The OPG sends notification to any people named in the form (up to five "named persons") who have four weeks to raise objections.
• After the notification period, the OPG registers the LPA and returns it stamped with a registration mark.
• Only a registered LPA can be used. Total time: 8–20 weeks in 2025 (the OPG has an online service which has reduced delays from the previous paper-only process).

You can apply online at gov.uk/power-of-attorney or download paper forms. The online service guides you step by step and has reduced error rates compared to paper applications.

Restrictions and Guidance

When creating an LPA, you can include instructions (things the attorney must do) and preferences (things you would like the attorney to consider). For example, you might instruct that your attorney must seek a second medical opinion before consenting to major surgery, or you might express a preference that you would like to remain at home for as long as possible rather than move into residential care. Attorneys are legally required to act in your best interests and follow the five principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

LPA vs. Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA)

EPAs were the predecessor to LPAs and were phased out in October 2007. An existing, validly executed EPA is still legally effective and should be registered with the OPG when the donor loses — or is beginning to lose — mental capacity. EPAs only covered property and financial affairs; they had no equivalent of the Health and Welfare LPA. If you have an old EPA and want health decision coverage, you can still make a new Health and Welfare LPA alongside it (you have capacity to do so). New EPAs cannot be created.

Scotland and Northern Ireland

In Scotland, the equivalent is a Continuing Power of Attorney (property and financial) and a Welfare Power of Attorney, governed by the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000. Registration is with the Office of the Public Guardian (Scotland); the fee is £85 for online applications. In Northern Ireland, Enduring Powers of Attorney are still used for property and financial matters, governed by the Enduring Powers of Attorney (Northern Ireland) Order 1987.

When Is an LPA Needed?

The most common triggers for needing an LPA to come into use include: a dementia diagnosis, a severe stroke, a serious accident causing brain injury, a progressive neurological condition, or planned surgery with potential complications. However, anyone can benefit from an LPA at any age. A Solicitors for the Elderly (SFE) or STEP member solicitor can advise on the most suitable approach for your circumstances.