New, lower fees for registering a Lasting Power of Attorney

The cost of registering a Lasting Power of Attorney has been reduced to reflect the rising number of people signing up.

With dementia experts predicting that at least one million men and women will be diagnosed with this devastating illness by 2025, ministers hope that cutting fees will encourage even more people to register an LPA - providing peace of mind for themselves and their families.

Looking ahead

The Office of the Public Guardian, which registers the paperwork, says the increasing volume of applications means the income it receives in fees now exceeds the cost of the service.

This illustrates how many people are taking sensible, precautionary steps to support family members by preparing in advance for unexpected life changing illnesses.

What an LPA can cover

A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a way of giving someone you trust - known as your attorney - the legal authority to make decisions on your behalf if, and only if, you lose mental capacity at some point in the future.

There are two types - an LPA for property and financial decisions covering things like paying bills, selling property or receiving your income and an LPA for health and care decisions covering issues like where you live, what care you receive and even what food you eat.

This April, the £110 fee for registering an LPA in England and Wales was reduced to £82. The fee for a repeat application to register an LPA also fell from £55 to £41.

For help and information please contact our Wills and Mental Capacity Team.