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What is a lasting power of attorney?
Reviewed 3 November 2026 · England and Wales
In short
A lasting power of attorney (LPA) is a legal document that lets you appoint people you trust to make decisions for you if you lose the mental capacity to make them yourself. In England and Wales there are two types: property and financial affairs, and health and welfare. Each must be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian before it can be used.
An LPA is one of the most useful documents you can put in place. It is not just for older people: an accident or sudden illness can take away capacity at any age. This guide explains what an LPA is, the two types, who is involved and how to make one.
The two types of LPA
There are two separate lasting powers of attorney in England and Wales. You can make one or both, and you choose different attorneys for each if you wish.
- Property and financial affairs: lets your attorneys manage money, bank accounts, bills, pensions, investments and property. Once registered, it can be used while you still have capacity if you allow it.
- Health and welfare: lets your attorneys make decisions about care, medical treatment, where you live and daily routine. It can only be used once you have lost the capacity to make those decisions yourself.
Who is involved
- The donor: the person making the LPA and giving the power. You must be 18 or over and have mental capacity when you make it.
- Attorneys: the people you trust to make decisions. They must be 18 or over. For a property and financial LPA they must not be bankrupt.
- Replacement attorneys (optional): step in if an attorney can no longer act.
- A certificate provider: an independent person who confirms you understand the LPA and are not under pressure. They cannot be a family member or one of your attorneys.
How an LPA works
An LPA is built on the Mental Capacity Act 2005. It only gives your attorneys authority to act when the LPA allows, and they must always act in your best interests and follow the Act's principles.
An LPA has no legal effect until it is registered with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG). Registration currently takes 8 to 10 weeks if there are no mistakes, so it is worth putting in place well before it is needed.
An LPA is different from a will. A will deals with your estate after you die; an LPA covers decisions while you are alive but unable to make them. Most people benefit from having both.
How to make an LPA
You can make an LPA yourself using the official forms (LP1F and LP1H) on gov.uk, use a service like LPASafe to prepare and check it for you, or instruct a solicitor. The document is the same whichever route you take; what differs is the cost and how much help you get.
Roughly 1 in 11 LPAs are rejected by the OPG, almost always for avoidable errors like signing in the wrong order. Having the form completed correctly against the rejection criteria, and following a clear signing order, is the simplest way to avoid that.
At a glance
| Property & financial affairs | Health & welfare | |
|---|---|---|
| Official form | LP1F | LP1H |
| Covers | Money, property, bills, pensions | Care, treatment, where you live |
| When it can be used | While you have capacity (if allowed) or after | Only once you lack capacity |
| OPG fee | £92 | £92 |
Frequently asked questions
Do I need both types of LPA?
Most people benefit from both: one covers your money and property, the other covers your health and care. They are separate documents with separate fees, and you can make one without the other.
When should I make an LPA?
While you still have mental capacity. You cannot make an LPA once you have lost capacity: at that point your family would have to apply to the Court of Protection instead, which costs more and takes longer.
Is an LPA the same as power of attorney?
A lasting power of attorney is the current form of power of attorney in England and Wales. It replaced the enduring power of attorney (EPA) on 1 October 2007. Older EPAs can still be valid, but you cannot make a new one.
Can I change my LPA later?
You can cancel an LPA while you have capacity, and you can change some things by making a new one. You cannot simply edit a registered LPA, so it is worth getting it right first time.
Related resources
Which lasting power of attorney do I need?
Property and financial affairs or health and welfare? A clear comparison of the two types of LPA so you can decide which one, or both, you need.
How much does a lasting power of attorney cost?
What a lasting power of attorney costs in England and Wales: the £92 OPG registration fee, fee reductions, and what solicitors and services charge.
How to set up a lasting power of attorney
A step-by-step guide to making and registering a lasting power of attorney in England and Wales, from choosing attorneys to signing and OPG registration.
What happens if you don't have an LPA?
Without a lasting power of attorney, no one can automatically manage your affairs if you lose capacity. What really happens, and the Court of Protection route.
LPASafe covers England and Wales only. Scotland and Northern Ireland use different systems. We are not a law firm and do not give legal advice. The LP1F and LP1H forms are available free on gov.uk.
Ready when you are
Put your LPA in place the safe way
Answer a few plain-English questions. We complete the official forms correctly from your answers, following every OPG rejection reason, and you just sign.