Lasting Powers of Attorney Costs UK | Expert Guidance & Fees

Written by Eliza, Legacy Advisor at Octopus Legacy
Last updated: 27 March 2026

How much does a Lasting Power of Attorney cost?

A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) costs between £92 and £1,500+ depending on how you set it up. At minimum, you'll pay the government registration fee of £92 per LPA document. If you use a solicitor, you can expect to pay £300 to £600 per document on top of that. A specialist service like Octopus Legacy offers both LPAs for £699 per person, including the OPG registration fees.

This guide breaks down exactly what you're paying for, compares your options, and explains why getting an LPA right the first time matters more than you might think.

What is a Lasting Power of Attorney?

A Lasting Power of Attorney lets you appoint someone you trust (called an "attorney") to make decisions on your behalf if you lose the mental capacity to make them yourself. Mental capacity means being able to understand, retain, and weigh up information to make a decision, and communicate that decision. This is defined in the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

The key thing to understand is this: you can only make an LPA while you still have mental capacity. If you wait until you've lost capacity, it's too late. At that point, your family would need to apply to the Court of Protection for a deputyship order, which costs significantly more (£371 application fee plus ongoing supervision fees of £320 per year) and can take months.

That's why setting up an LPA earlier rather than later is one of the most important things you can do.

The two types of LPA

There are two types of Lasting Power of Attorney, and most people need both.

Health and Welfare LPA

This covers decisions about your personal wellbeing if you lose capacity. Your attorney can make decisions about your daily routine and care, medical treatment and where you receive it, life-sustaining treatment (if you give them this authority), moving into a care home, and diet, dress, and daily life.

A Health and Welfare LPA can only be used once you've lost mental capacity. Your attorney can't make decisions for you while you're still able to make them yourself.

Property and Financial Affairs LPA

This covers decisions about your money and property. Your attorney can manage your bank accounts and savings, pay your bills and mortgage, collect your pension and benefits, sell or manage your property, and deal with your tax affairs.

Unlike a Health and Welfare LPA, a Property and Financial Affairs LPA can be used while you still have capacity, if you choose to allow this. This can be useful if you become physically unable to manage your finances, even if your mental capacity is fine.

Who needs an LPA?

The short answer: everyone over 18. You don't need to be elderly or unwell. Accidents, strokes, and sudden illness can affect anyone at any age. Without an LPA, your family can't access your bank accounts, make decisions about your medical care, or manage your property, even if they're your spouse or child.

You should particularly consider setting up an LPA if you're over 50 (the risk of conditions like dementia increases with age), you're a business owner (your business could be paralysed if no one has authority to act), you own property (decisions about your home need legal authority), you have savings or investments (banks won't let family members access accounts without legal authority), you have young children (a financial LPA ensures someone can manage money for your family's needs), or you're planning for retirement (setting up LPAs while you're healthy means one less thing to worry about later).

What happens without an LPA?

If you lose capacity without an LPA in place, your family must apply to the Court of Protection for a deputyship order. This process costs more (a £371 application fee, plus £320 annual supervision fees), takes much longer (often 4 to 6 months), requires ongoing annual reports to the court, and means a judge, not you, decides who manages your affairs.

The court may not appoint the person you would have chosen. And the process happens at a time when your family is already under enormous stress.

LPA costs breakdown

The total cost of setting up an LPA depends on the route you take. Here's how the options compare.

Government registration fee

Every LPA must be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) before it can be used. The registration fee is £92 per LPA document. Since most people need both types of LPA, the total registration cost is £184 per person.

This fee increased from £82 to £92 on 17 November 2025. The additional revenue funds the OPG's digital modernisation programme.

Fee reductions: If the donor (the person making the LPA) has a gross annual income under £12,000, they may qualify for a 50% reduction (£46 per LPA). Those receiving certain qualifying benefits may be exempt entirely. Note that from 2 February 2026, Universal Credit no longer automatically qualifies you for a fee reduction. You can check eligibility on GOV.UK.

Cost comparison: your options

What are you actually paying for?

When you pay for professional LPA support, you're paying for someone to draft the documents correctly (choosing the right options for your circumstances), review the signed documents before submission (catching errors that would cause rejection), submit the documents to the OPG on your behalf, and handle any queries from the OPG during registration.

This matters more than you might think. In 2023/24, over 50,000 LPA applications were rejected by the OPG due to errors. Common mistakes include incorrect witness details, missing signatures, wrong certificate provider information, and contradictory instructions. Every rejection means delays, re-signing, and sometimes starting again from scratch.

How to set up an LPA

Option 1: Do it yourself

You can create an LPA for free using the government's online service at lastingpowerofattorney.service.gov.uk. You'll need to choose your attorneys and replacement attorneys, select a certificate provider (someone who confirms you understand the LPA and aren't being pressured), add any preferences or instructions, print and sign the documents (with witnesses), and send them to the OPG with the £92 registration fee per document.

Registration typically takes 8 to 10 weeks if there are no errors. If the OPG finds a problem, the documents are returned and you'll need to correct and resubmit them.

Option 2: Use a professional service

A solicitor or specialist LPA service handles the drafting, review, and submission for you. This is the safer option if your situation involves anything beyond the straightforward, for example: multiple attorneys with specific decision-making arrangements, business assets, overseas property, complex family dynamics, or if you want to include detailed instructions or restrictions.

Octopus Legacy's LPA service is designed to take the stress out of the process. The team drafts both LPA documents based on a conversation about your needs, reviews every signed document line by line before it goes to the OPG, handles the registration submission, and includes the OPG fees in the price so there are no surprises.

Ready to set up your LPA? Book a free consultation with the Octopus Legacy team to talk through your options.

LPA for couples

If you're setting up LPAs as a couple, you'll each need your own set of documents. That means four LPAs in total (two per person). Most couples appoint each other as their primary attorney, with children or other trusted people as replacement attorneys.

Octopus Legacy offers a couples price of £1,299 for both people (all four LPA documents, including OPG registration fees). This compares to £1,400 to £3,000+ through a solicitor.

LPA vs other types of power of attorney

People sometimes confuse LPAs with other forms of authority. Here's the difference.

Ordinary Power of Attorney gives someone authority to act on your behalf for a specific purpose or period (for example, while you're abroad). It automatically ends if you lose mental capacity, so it doesn't provide the protection an LPA does.

Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA) was replaced by LPAs in 2007. If you made an EPA before October 2007, it's still valid. But you can't make new ones. If you only have an EPA, it covers financial decisions but not health and welfare.

Court of Protection Deputyship is what happens when someone has already lost capacity without an LPA in place. It's more expensive, slower, and gives you less control over who is appointed. This is exactly what an LPA is designed to prevent.

Scotland and Northern Ireland

LPAs only apply in England and Wales. The equivalent in Scotland is a Continuing Power of Attorney (for financial decisions) and a Welfare Power of Attorney (for health decisions). These are registered with the Office of the Public Guardian (Scotland), and fees and processes differ.

In Northern Ireland, the equivalent is an Enduring Power of Attorney, which covers financial matters only. There is currently no equivalent to the Health and Welfare LPA in Northern Ireland, though reform has been discussed.

Common mistakes to avoid

Setting up an LPA is one of those things that looks simple but has real consequences if done wrong. Here are the most common mistakes.

Choosing the wrong certificate provider. The certificate provider must be someone who knows you well enough to confirm you understand the LPA, but they can't be a family member, your attorney, or your attorney's family member. Getting this wrong is one of the top reasons LPAs are rejected.

Not including replacement attorneys. If your attorney dies, loses capacity, or can no longer act, your LPA fails unless you've named replacements. Always appoint at least one replacement.

Contradictory instructions. If you give instructions that conflict with each other, or that conflict with the law, the OPG will reject the application. Professional review catches these before submission.

Waiting too long. You must have mental capacity to make an LPA. If a doctor has concerns about your capacity, the process becomes much more difficult. Don't wait.

Only making one type. Many people set up a Financial LPA but forget about Health and Welfare. You need both to be fully protected.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Lasting Power of Attorney cost in 2026?

The government registration fee is £92 per LPA document (£184 for both types). If you use a solicitor, expect to pay £300 to £600 per document on top. Octopus Legacy charges £699 per person for both LPAs including OPG registration fees, or £1,299 per couple.

Do I need a solicitor to make a Lasting Power of Attorney?

No. You can create an LPA yourself using the government's free online service and pay only the £92 registration fee per document. However, over 50,000 LPA applications were rejected by the OPG in 2023/24 due to errors. Professional support from a solicitor or specialist service like Octopus Legacy reduces the risk of rejection, delays, and costly mistakes.

What is the difference between the two types of LPA?

A Health and Welfare LPA covers decisions about medical treatment, care, and daily life. It can only be used once you have lost mental capacity. A Property and Financial Affairs LPA covers decisions about money, property, and bills. It can be used while you still have capacity if you choose to allow this. Most people need both types.

How long does it take to register an LPA?

Registration with the Office of the Public Guardian typically takes 8 to 10 weeks if there are no errors. If the OPG finds mistakes, the documents are returned for correction, which can add several more weeks. Using a professional service reduces the risk of delays caused by errors.

What happens if I lose mental capacity without an LPA?

If you lose capacity without an LPA, your family must apply to the Court of Protection for a deputyship order. This costs more (£371 application fee plus £320 annual supervision fees), takes longer (often 4 to 6 months), and means a judge decides who manages your affairs rather than you choosing. This is exactly what an LPA is designed to prevent.

Can I get a fee reduction for LPA registration?

Yes. If the donor has a gross annual income under £12,000, they may qualify for a 50% reduction (£46 per LPA instead of £92). Those receiving certain qualifying benefits may be fully exempt. From 2 February 2026, Universal Credit no longer automatically qualifies you for a reduction. Check eligibility on GOV.UK.

At what age should I set up a Lasting Power of Attorney?

Anyone over 18 can and should consider setting up an LPA. While LPAs become more urgent as you get older or if you're at risk of conditions like dementia, accidents and sudden illness can affect anyone at any age. The only requirement is that you must have mental capacity at the time you make the LPA. It's easier and less stressful to set one up while you're healthy.

Can I change or cancel my LPA?

Yes. As long as you have mental capacity, you can cancel (revoke) your LPA at any time by completing an LPA005 form and notifying the OPG, your attorneys, and anyone else who was given a copy. If you want to change your attorneys or instructions, you'll need to revoke the existing LPA and create a new one.

Don't leave it to chance. Talk to the Octopus Legacy team about setting up your Lasting Powers of Attorney today.