So, you’ve painstakingly filled out your lasting power of attorney form. You’ve found attorneys, witnesses and a certificate provider. You’ve even signed it — and in the right order. All done, right? Not so fast! You need to register the LPA with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) before your attorney can use it. And while you don’t have to do this right away, the sooner the better. Luckily, registering a power of attorney is very simple. We’ll take you through it step-by-step here.

 

Before you start…

Just a bit of admin before we begin. Make sure you’ve taken care of the following before you register the lasting power of attorney:

  1. Read your LPA form and make sure everything is as it should be.
  2. Make sure sections 1-11 have been signed in the correct order.
  3. Send form LP3 to any ‘people to notify’ named in your LPA.

Your ‘people to notify’ will have three weeks to contact the OPG if they have any concerns about the power of attorney.

 

How to register a power of attorney

A lasting power of attorney must be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian. The donor can register it or one of the attorneys.

You may have made the lasting power of attorney using a paper form (LP1F or LP1H), or by using the government’s online service. The process is slightly different in each case.

Here’s how to register a lasting power of attorney if you’re using a paper form:

  1. Fill out sections 12-15 and sign.
  2. Put the form in an envelope with the fee, if paying by cheque (more on this below).
  3. Post the LPA to the Office of the Public Guardian at:

Office of the Public Guardian  

PO Box 16185 

Birmingham  

B2 2WH 

If you’re using the online service, the process is the same except you’ll have the opportunity to pay your fee online by card. You will also fill out sections 12-15 online, so you just need to check and sign them. Then post as usual!

 

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

Unless you qualify for a fee exemption, registering a lasting power of attorney costs £82 per form. So, if you’re registering a financial LPA and a health LPA, you’ll pay £164.

You can pay by:

  • Card online — if using the government’s online LPA service.
  • Card over the phone — the OPG will contact you after receiving your form.
  • Cheque — make it payable to ‘Office of the Public Guardian’ and write your name on the back. Enclose with your form.

If you earn less than £12,000 a year, or you’re on certain income-related benefits, you may be able to apply for a fee reduction. To find out if you’re eligible and apply, download the application form here.

 

How long does it take to register a power of attorney?

A lasting power of attorney takes 8-10 weeks for the Office of the Public Guardian to register, if there are no mistakes.

But if there are mistakes, they will send the LPA back — and may ask you to pay an additional £41 fee and complete a fresh form all over again.

If the donor has already lost mental capacity, they can’t sign and the LPA can’t be registered. So it’s best to register a power of attorney sooner rather than later.

 

Finished? Why not make a will?

If you want to make sure your loved ones will be taken care of no matter what happens, a will is essential. And you can make a will online with Beyond for just £90, or £135 for couples.

It’s free to start, and can take as little as 15 minutes to get peace of mind — why not give it a go? Click here to begin.

 

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