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LPA vs Will: What’s the Difference — and Do You Need Both?

Written by: Sat Lally · Reviewed by: ClearLegacy editorial team · Last updated: September 2026

Quick answer

A will only takes effect after you die. A Lasting Power of Attorney only works while you are alive. They cover different risks, and neither can do the other’s job — which is why most adults eventually need both.

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Reviewed by the ClearLegacy editorial team Wills Act 1837 compliant · Updated 2026-07-05

The one-sentence difference

Your will decides who inherits, who administers your estate and who raises your children after your death. Your LPA decides who can run your finances and make care decisions if illness or injury leaves you unable to decide for yourself while alive. There is no overlap: a Will is powerless during your lifetime, and an LPA dies with you.

Making an LPA

ClearLegacy writes Wills only. You can make a Lasting Power of Attorney yourself on GOV.UK, paying only the Office of the Public Guardian’s registration fee, or ask a solicitor to prepare one for you.

Make an LPA on GOV.UK →

Side-by-side

When it applies: will — after death; LPA — during incapacity in life.
Who acts: will — your executors; LPA — your attorneys.
Covers: will — inheritance, guardianship, funeral wishes; LPA — bank accounts, bills, property decisions, medical care, care-home choices.
Government fee: will — none; LPA — £92 per document.
Made online? will — yes (£89 with ClearLegacy); LPA — forms on gov.uk, registration takes 8–25 weeks.
Can it wait? Neither — a Will can be needed any day; an LPA cannot be made after capacity is lost.

Which to do first

If you can only do one this month, do the Will — it is cheaper (£89 vs £184 for both LPAs), faster (24 hours vs 2–6 months), and dying intestate causes the worse family outcome. Then start the LPA while healthy, because it is the one you cannot make later. The details you gather for your Will (partner, children, trusted people, assets) are exactly what the LPA forms need — doing them close together is genuinely easier.

Frequently asked questions

No. A will has no effect while you are alive. Only a registered Lasting Power of Attorney gives someone legal authority to act for you during incapacity.
No. An LPA ends automatically at death. From that moment your Will (or the intestacy rules, if you have none) takes over and your executors take charge.
If choosing, most people do the Will first — it is cheaper and faster, and intestacy is the costlier failure. But an LPA can only be made while you have capacity, so do not leave it long.
Yes, and it is common — a spouse or adult child often serves as both. They are separate legal roles in separate documents.
Not necessarily. A ClearLegacy Will is £89 online, checked against the Wills Act 1837. LPA forms are available on gov.uk; you pay the £92 registration fee per document. Complex estates or family situations may justify a solicitor for either.

Related guides

LPA complete guide → LPA cost guide → Start your Will — £89 → How online Wills work →

Related guides

Legally valid in England & Wales when signed and witnessed correctly · Built around the Wills Act 1837 · A trading name of Kaizen Finance Ltd (Co. 12092327)
About ClearLegacy — ClearLegacy is a UK online will-writing service operated by Kaizen Finance Ltd (Co. 12092327): fixed-fee Wills for England & Wales — £89 single, £129 mirror — checked against the Wills Act 1837 and usually delivered by email within 24 hours. An affordable alternative to Farewill and Co-op Legal Services. About ClearLegacy · How the online Will service works · Start a Will