How much does a lasting power of attorney cost?

By SwiftWillUpdated 24 September 2026England and Wales

Quick answer

Registering a lasting power of attorney (LPA) with the Office of the Public Guardian costs £92 per LPA, so £184 for both types. That fee applies to applications received from 17 November 2025, and resubmitting a corrected application costs £46. Donors on certain means-tested benefits may pay nothing and those with income under £12,000 pay half. Making the LPA yourself with the GOV.UK forms has no other official charge; a solicitor charges their own fee on top.

What are the current LPA fees?

The registration fee is £92 for each LPA. These are the official fees set in the Public Guardian (Fees, etc) Regulations 2007 and shown on GOV.UK:

Office of the Public Guardian fees for lasting powers of attorney, for applications received from 17 November 2025
What you are paying for	Fee
Register one LPA	£92
Register both types (two applications)	£184
Repeat application after a correctable mistake, within 3 months	£46
Donor’s income under £12,000 a year (50% remission)	£46 per LPA
Donor receives a qualifying means-tested benefit (exemption)	£0
Office copy of a registered LPA	£35

The online tool and the paper forms are free. GOV.UK says you can pay by card or by cheque made payable to the Office of the Public Guardian.

Did the LPA fee change recently?

Yes. The registration fee rose from £82 to £92, and the repeat application fee from £41 to £46, for applications received from 17 November 2025. The change was made by the Court and Public Guardian Fees (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2025, article 4. On 24 September 2026, the current version of the fees schedule on legislation.gov.uk showed no later change.

How do you get a reduced fee or pay nothing?

Apply with form LPA120 when you apply to register. The rules, from GOV.UK’s reduced fee page, depend on the donor (the person making the LPA), not the attorneys:

If the donor’s income before tax is less than £12,000 a year, you pay half.
If the donor receives one of the means-tested benefits listed on the form when you apply, you pay nothing.
A donor on Universal Credit is assessed for the 50% reduction, not the exemption.
Payment is due when you apply. Retrospective refunds are not possible and the fees are non-refundable.

The same help applies to the £46 repeat application fee.

Is it cheaper to make an LPA yourself or use a solicitor?

Doing it yourself costs only the registration fee. You can use the GOV.UK online service or paper forms, and GOV.UK says someone else, such as a family member, friend or solicitor, can fill them in for you. The Office of the Public Guardian’s guide, LP12, explains each section.

Solicitors set their own fees, which are added to the £92. Ask for a fixed fee in writing, and whether it covers acting as certificate provider and sending the application to register. A solicitor is worth considering when:

your finances include a business, several properties or investments needing specific instructions;
family members disagree, or you want to exclude someone from involvement;
there is any doubt about your capacity, now or soon;
you want to appoint a professional attorney or a trust corporation.

Most mistakes that cost money are avoidable. LP12 says the forms must be signed in a set order and that correction fluid or stickers stop registration, which means paying again for a new LPA.

What are the two types of LPA and what does each cost?

Each type is a separate LPA with its own £92 fee. GOV.UK describes them as:

Property and financial affairs: bank accounts, bills, benefits, pensions and selling your home. It can be used as soon as it is registered, with your permission.
Health and welfare: daily routine, medical care, moving into a care home and, if you give the power expressly, life-sustaining treatment. It can only be used when you cannot make your own decisions.

Many people make both. The wider guide is lasting power of attorney.

How long does LPA registration take?

The Office of the Public Guardian’s service status as of 1 September 2026 says processing and registering an LPA takes 8 to 10 weeks, including a statutory waiting period of 4 weeks during which people can object. GOV.UK says it is usually quicker if you make the LPA and pay online, and that mistakes delay registration.

An LPA cannot be used until it is registered. LP12 recommends applying to register as soon as the LPA is signed, while the donor can still correct errors.

Is there a new digital LPA service?

Not yet in the way the new law intends. The Powers of Attorney Act 2023 received Royal Assent on 18 September 2023. Its main changes to how LPAs are made and registered depend on commencement regulations. On 24 September 2026, legislation.gov.uk still showed section 1 as not yet in force, and GOV.UK still said that after using the online service you print the forms, and everyone signs the same paper original. Digital signatures are not accepted. The fee is unaffected.

What other costs should you budget for?

A professional certificate provider, such as a solicitor, may charge; a friend who has known you well for at least two years can act instead (LP12).
Professional attorneys, such as solicitors or accountants, usually charge for acting, and LP12 says any agreed fee must be written into the LPA.
You can certify copies of your own LPA while you can still make decisions; a solicitor or notary may charge to do it (GOV.UK). An office copy from the Office of the Public Guardian costs £35.
Printing and postage.

What does it cost if you have no LPA?

More, and it takes longer. If you lose capacity without an LPA, a family member usually has to apply to the Court of Protection to become your deputy. The application fee is £432 from 13 July 2026, and a deputy then pays a £100 assessment fee and an annual supervision fee of £320 (or £35 for minimal supervision), according to GOV.UK. The full comparison is in will vs lasting power of attorney.

An LPA does not cover what happens after death; that is your will’s job. SwiftWill prepares wills, not LPAs, and earns nothing from this page’s LPA guidance. If you are also putting your will in order, see how much a will costs.

Sources

Sources checked 24 September 2026.

Which related guide should you read next?

Lasting power of attorney — What an LPA is, the two types, who can be an attorney or certificate provider, the £92 fee, the signing order and registration time in England and Wales.
Will vs lasting power of attorney — A will acts after death; an LPA acts while you are alive but cannot decide. Why many adults need both, and what deputyship costs without an LPA.
How much does a will cost in the UK? — Published will prices from free to advice-led services, what printing, storage and updates add, and why solicitors’ will fees are quoted individually.
Do I need a solicitor to make a will? — Not for a simple estate. When a solicitor is worth it: trusts, tax, business or foreign assets, blended families, leaving out a dependant or capacity doubts.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to register a lasting power of attorney?

£92 per LPA, paid to the Office of the Public Guardian. That fee applies to applications received from 17 November 2025, when it rose from £82. The GOV.UK forms and online tool are free to use.

Do I pay twice if I make both types of LPA?

Yes. Each LPA is a separate application, so a property and financial affairs LPA and a health and welfare LPA cost £184 together.

Can I get help paying the LPA fee?

Yes. If the donor’s income before tax is under £12,000 a year, the fee is halved. If the donor receives certain means-tested benefits, there may be no fee at all, although someone on Universal Credit is assessed for the reduction rather than the exemption. Apply with form LPA120 at the same time as you apply to register.

How much does it cost to resubmit an LPA after a mistake?

£46. GOV.UK says that, depending on the type of mistake, the Office of the Public Guardian may let you correct it and apply again within 3 months for that reduced fee. Some mistakes cannot be corrected and need a new LPA.

Do I need a solicitor to make an LPA?

No. You can make an LPA yourself with the GOV.UK online tool or paper forms and pay only the registration fee. A solicitor is worth considering for complex finances, business interests, family disagreement or any doubt about capacity; their fee is on top of the £92.

Can I get a refund of the LPA fee?

Generally no. GOV.UK says the fees are non-refundable and that reductions cannot be claimed retrospectively, so apply for any reduction or exemption when you apply to register.

How long does LPA registration take?

The Office of the Public Guardian said on 1 September 2026 that processing and registering an LPA takes 8 to 10 weeks, including a statutory waiting period of 4 weeks. Mistakes in the forms add time.

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