Make, register or end a lasting power of attorney: Overview - GOV.UK
Source: https://www.gov.uk/power-of-attorney
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:19
Make, register or end a lasting power of attorney: Overview - GOV.UK
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Make, register or end a lasting power of attorney
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Overview
A lasting power of attorney (
LPA
) is a legal document that lets you (the ‘donor’) appoint one or more people (known as ‘attorneys’) to help you make decisions or to make decisions on your behalf.
This gives you more control over what happens to you if you have an accident or an illness and cannot make your own decisions (you ‘lack mental capacity’).
This guide is also available
in Welsh (Cymraeg)
.
There are 2 types of
LPA
:
health and welfare
property and financial affairs
You can choose to make one type or both.
Your
LPA
will be legally binding only in England and Wales. There’s a different way to make a power of attorney if you need one that:
works in Scotland
works in Northern Ireland
If you’ve already made an
LPA
, you can
manage or use your
LPA
.
Eligibility
You must be 18 or over and have mental capacity (the ability to make your own decisions) when you make your
LPA
.
You do not need to live in the UK or be a British citizen to make an
LPA
.
How to make a lasting power of attorney
Choose your attorney
(you can have more than one).
Fill in the forms to
appoint them as an attorney
.
Register your
LPA
with the Office of the Public Guardian (this will take 8 to 10 weeks if there are no mistakes in the application).
Applying to register an
LPA
costs £92 unless you get a
reduction or exemption
.
You can
cancel your
LPA
if you no longer need it or want to make a new one.
Health and welfare lasting power of attorney
Use this
LPA
to give an attorney the power to make decisions about things like:
your daily routine, for example washing, dressing, eating
medical care
moving into a care home
life-sustaining treatment
It can only be used when you’re unable to make your own decisions.
Property and financial affairs lasting power of attorney
Use this
LPA
to give an attorney the power to make decisions about money and property for you, for example:
managing a bank or building society account
paying bills
collecting benefits or a pension
selling your home
It can be used as soon as it’s registered, with your permission.
Help deciding if you should make a lasting power of attorney
Contact the Office of the Public Guardian if you need help.
Office of the Public Guardian
customerservices@publicguardian.gov.uk
Telephone: 0300 456 0300
Relay UK
(if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0300 123 1300
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 9am to 5pm
Wednesday, 10am to 5pm
Find out about call charges
View a printable version of the whole guide
Related content
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Maybe
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We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services.
We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.
You have accepted additional cookies.
You can
change your cookie settings
at any time.
You have rejected additional cookies.
You can
change your cookie settings
at any time.
View cookies
Skip to main content
Make, register or end a lasting power of attorney
Skip contents
Overview
A lasting power of attorney (
LPA
) is a legal document that lets you (the ‘donor’) appoint one or more people (known as ‘attorneys’) to help you make decisions or to make decisions on your behalf.
This gives you more control over what happens to you if you have an accident or an illness and cannot make your own decisions (you ‘lack mental capacity’).
This guide is also available
in Welsh (Cymraeg)
.
There are 2 types of
LPA
:
health and welfare
property and financial affairs
You can choose to make one type or both.
Your
LPA
will be legally binding only in England and Wales. There’s a different way to make a power of attorney if you need one that:
works in Scotland
works in Northern Ireland
If you’ve already made an
LPA
, you can
manage or use your
LPA
.
Eligibility
You must be 18 or over and have mental capacity (the ability to make your own decisions) when you make your
LPA
.
You do not need to live in the UK or be a British citizen to make an
LPA
.
How to make a lasting power of attorney
Choose your attorney
(you can have more than one).
Fill in the forms to
appoint them as an attorney
.
Register your
LPA
with the Office of the Public Guardian (this will take 8 to 10 weeks if there are no mistakes in the application).
Applying to register an
LPA
costs £92 unless you get a
reduction or exemption
.
You can
cancel your
LPA
if you no longer need it or want to make a new one.
Health and welfare lasting power of attorney
Use this
LPA
to give an attorney the power to make decisions about things like:
your daily routine, for example washing, dressing, eating
medical care
moving into a care home
life-sustaining treatment
It can only be used when you’re unable to make your own decisions.
Property and financial affairs lasting power of attorney
Use this
LPA
to give an attorney the power to make decisions about money and property for you, for example:
managing a bank or building society account
paying bills
collecting benefits or a pension
selling your home
It can be used as soon as it’s registered, with your permission.
Help deciding if you should make a lasting power of attorney
Contact the Office of the Public Guardian if you need help.
Office of the Public Guardian
customerservices@publicguardian.gov.uk
Telephone: 0300 456 0300
Relay UK
(if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0300 123 1300
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 9am to 5pm
Wednesday, 10am to 5pm
Find out about call charges
View a printable version of the whole guide
Related content
Is this page useful?
Maybe
Thank you for your feedback
Help us improve GOV.UK
To help us improve GOV.UK, we’d like to know more about your visit today.
Please fill in this survey (opens in a new tab
)
.