Lasting Power of Attorney UK: Complete 2026 Guide

What an LPA actually does

A will speaks for you after death. An LPA speaks for you while you are alive but unable to decide for yourself — after a stroke, an accident, or a dementia diagnosis. You (the "donor") appoint one or more "attorneys", usually a partner, adult child or trusted friend, and the document is registered with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) under the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

Without one, nobody — not even your spouse — has automatic legal authority over your bank accounts, your home or your medical decisions. Your family would need a Court of Protection deputyship instead: slower, more expensive and supervised for life. We cover that in what happens without an LPA.

ClearLegacy LPA service — coming soon

We're preparing to launch a fixed-fee Lasting Power of Attorney service with the same no-appointment, plain-English approach as our £69 wills. Join the waitlist for first access and launch pricing.

The two types of LPA

Property & Financial Affairs — lets your attorney manage bank accounts, pay bills, collect pensions and benefits, and sell property if needed. You can allow it to be used as soon as it is registered (with your permission), or only if you lose capacity.

Health & Welfare — covers daily routine, medical care, moving into a care home, and (only if you expressly opt in) life-sustaining treatment decisions. It can only ever be used once you have lost capacity.

Most people make both at the same time. They are separate documents with separate registration fees.

What an LPA costs

The OPG registration fee is £92 per LPA (it rose from £82 in November 2025) — so £184 per person for both types, or £368 for a couple doing everything. If the donor earns under £12,000 a year the fee is halved, and people on certain means-tested benefits pay nothing. Full breakdown in our LPA cost guide.

How long it takes

Registration is not quick. Online applications currently take roughly 8–12 weeks; paper forms 14–25 weeks. That includes a mandatory 4-week objection window that cannot be waived. This is the single best argument for making an LPA before it is needed — you cannot make one after capacity is lost. Step-by-step process in how to apply for an LPA.

LPA and your will — two halves of the same job

An LPA protects you while you are alive; a will protects your family after you die. One without the other leaves half the job undone. If you have not sorted the will yet, that is the cheaper and faster half: £69, done online in about 15 minutes, delivered within 24 hours. The full comparison is in LPA vs will.

Frequently asked questions

A legal document under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 that appoints someone you trust (an attorney) to make decisions for you if you lose mental capacity. There are two types: Property & Financial Affairs, and Health & Welfare.

The Office of the Public Guardian charges £92 to register each LPA (since November 2025). Both types together cost £184 per person. A 50% remission applies if the donor earns under £12,000 a year, and some means-tested benefits give full exemption.

Online applications are currently processed in roughly 8–12 weeks; paper applications can take 14–25 weeks. A mandatory 4-week objection period is included and cannot be shortened.

No. An LPA can only be made while the donor still has mental capacity. After capacity is lost, family must apply to the Court of Protection for a deputyship instead — slower and considerably more expensive.

No. Marriage gives no automatic right to manage your spouse’s finances or medical decisions. Without a registered LPA, even a spouse must apply to the Court of Protection.

They cover different decisions — money and property versus health and care. Most people make both at the same time so there is no gap either way.