Lasting Power of Attorney Costs UK (2026): OPG Fees, Solicitor Charges and the Free Route

The OPG (Office of the Public Guardian) charges a fixed registration fee for each LPA: (1) CURRENT OPG REGISTRATION FEE: £82 per LPA. For most people, two LPAs are recommended: a Property & Financial Affairs LPA (LP1F) and a Health & Welfare LPA (LP1H). Total OPG fee for both: £164; (2) WHAT THE £82 COVERS: the OPG processes the LPA application, checks the forms for errors, notifies any 'people to notify' named in the LPA, and registers the LPA if there are no valid objections. The registration fee is paid to HMRC on behalf of the OPG — not to any solicitor or service; (3) FEE HISTORY: the OPG fee was reduced from £110 (the pre-2017 fee) to £82 in April 2017 as a result of legal action arguing the previous fee was too high. The fee has remained at £82 since; (4) TOTAL OPG FEES IF BOTH LPAs ARE REGISTERED: £164. There is no family discount or multi-LPA reduction — each LPA is charged separately; (5) WHEN THE FEE IS PAID: the fee is paid when the LPA application is submitted to the OPG for registration. It is not refunded if the OPG rejects the application (due to errors in the form) — though the OPG will advise on how to resubmit; (6) COURT OF PROTECTION COMPARISON: if a person has already lost mental capacity and needs a Court of Protection Deputyship instead of an LPA, the court fees are: COP1 application £371 (property and financial affairs); COP1B £408 (personal welfare); plus solicitor fees of £1,500-£4,000+ and annual OPG supervision fees of £320/yr. Total first-year costs: approximately £3,000-£6,000+. Registering an LPA now, while you have capacity, costs £164 and avoids this entirely.

Yes — the OPG operates a fee remission and exemption scheme called Help with Fees (HwF) for people with low income or capital: (1) THE HELP WITH FEES SCHEME (HwF): the scheme allows applicants to apply for a reduction or exemption from the OPG registration fee. The relevant form is LPA120A (fee remission application). The current thresholds (from April 2024): (a) FULL REMISSION (100% fee waiver — pay nothing): the donor must be in receipt of one of the following qualifying benefits: Universal Credit; Income Support; Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance; Income-related Employment and Support Allowance; Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit; Housing Benefit. If the donor receives any of these benefits, the full £82 fee per LPA is waived — no income or capital test needed; (b) 50% REMISSION (pay £41 per LPA): if the donor does NOT receive a qualifying benefit but has a gross annual income (before tax) of £12,000 or less — whether from any source (state pension, private pension, savings income, employment) — they may qualify for a 50% fee reduction. Income is assessed for the applicant (donor) only; (c) NO REMISSION: if the donor's income exceeds £12,000/yr and they do not receive qualifying benefits, the full £82 fee per LPA applies; (2) HOW TO APPLY FOR HwF: complete form LPA120A and submit it with the LPA application to the OPG. The OPG reviews the application and applies the reduction automatically. Do not pay the registration fee when submitting — payment is made after the OPG confirms the fee amount; (3) WHAT HwF DOES NOT COVER: HwF only covers the OPG registration fee. It does not cover solicitor's fees, the cost of any online LPA service, the certificate provider's professional fee (if a GP charges), or the fee for using the OPG Online service (which is free); (4) MILITARY VETERANS — FULL REMISSION: donors who are in receipt of certain Veterans UK benefits (War Pensioners' Welfare Service; Armed Forces Independence Payment) are entitled to a full fee remission under a separate scheme.

Solicitor fees for LPAs vary significantly depending on the firm, the complexity of the case, and the level of service required: (1) SOLICITOR FEES — TYPICAL RANGES (2026): (a) Grant-only (solicitor drafts the forms and arranges signing, but you manage the certificate provider): £200-£400 per LPA (£400-£800 for both LPAs); (b) Full service (solicitor drafts forms, acts as or arranges certificate provider, registers with OPG, and keeps a copy): £500-£1,000 per LPA (£1,000-£2,000 for both); (c) Complex or concurrent with will/IHT planning (LPA as part of an estate planning package; donor with complex health/capacity needs): £1,500-£3,000 for the full package; (d) Home visit rate (solicitor travels to housebound or care home donor): additional £150-£400 on top of standard fees; (2) WHY USE A SOLICITOR: (a) Where capacity is in doubt (diagnosis of dementia, serious illness): a solicitor can apply the Golden Rule, ensure the certificate provider is a GP, and document capacity contemporaneously — essential to prevent later challenges; (b) Complex family situations (estranged family; multiple marriages; large estates): a solicitor identifies and manages potential conflicts among attorneys or 'people to notify'; (c) When the donor is housebound: a solicitor travels to the donor; (d) Mistakes on LPA forms are costly: a rejected LPA application loses the OPG fee. A solicitor avoids most errors; (3) ONLINE LPA SERVICES: several online services (NOT the OPG's own service) offer LPA drafting assistance for approximately £100-£350 per LPA. These guide the donor through the forms but are not substitutes for legal advice on attorney selection, replacement attorneys, or capacity concerns; (4) FREE LEGAL ADVICE: charities including Age UK, Citizens Advice, and Independent Age sometimes offer free or low-cost LPA assistance for older or low-income donors. Contact your local Age UK branch for availability; (5) TOTAL COSTS COMPARISON: (a) DIY (OPG Online, no solicitor): OPG fee £164 (both LPAs) + £0 solicitor + possible GP certificate fee £30-100 = approximately £200-£270; (b) Solicitor mid-range (full service, no capacity concerns): £164 OPG + £1,000-£2,000 solicitor = approximately £1,200-£2,200; (c) Urgent/complex with GP assessment: £164 OPG + £1,500-£3,000 solicitor + GP assessment £100-£300 = approximately £1,800-£3,500.

Beyond the OPG registration fee and solicitor fees, there are a few other potential costs: (1) CERTIFICATE PROVIDER FEE: the certificate provider (who certifies the donor's capacity) is either a professional or someone who has known the donor personally for at least 2 years. (a) Lay certificate provider (friend or colleague): free, but this person must meet the eligibility criteria and be prepared to certify capacity; (b) Solicitor as certificate provider: may be included in the solicitor's overall LPA fee, or charged separately (£50-£150 extra if the solicitor is not otherwise acting); (c) GP as certificate provider (recommended where capacity may be in doubt): most GPs charge a private fee for this — typically £30-£100. Some GP practices charge more. This is a private fee, not an NHS fee, and must be paid directly to the GP. It is not covered by the HwF scheme; (2) CERTIFIED COPIES: if the donor needs certified copies of the registered LPA for use with multiple organisations (bank; HMRC; investment manager), each certified copy costs £0 if done by the attorney (the attorney certifies the copy themselves — free). The OPG does not typically provide multiple originals; (3) REPLACEMENT AND AMENDMENT: if an LPA is registered and needs to be changed (e.g. adding a replacement attorney), it cannot be amended — a new LPA must be made and registered. New OPG fee: £82 per new LPA. Solicitor fees apply if using a solicitor; (4) REVOCATION AND REVIEW: revoking an LPA while the donor has capacity is free — the donor signs a Deed of Revocation and sends it to the OPG. The OPG then cancels the registration. There is no OPG fee for revocation; (5) COURT OF PROTECTION (IF LPA IS CHALLENGED): if a third party objects to the registration or raises a concern about abuse, the OPG investigates free of charge. If the matter goes to the Court of Protection, court fees apply (£371+) and solicitor fees may be significant (£2,000-£10,000+ for contested proceedings); (6) ANNUAL ONGOING COSTS: a registered LPA has no annual renewal fee — it remains valid indefinitely (until revoked or the donor dies). The OPG does not charge an annual maintenance fee for LPAs (unlike Court of Protection Deputyship which charges £320/yr).

Yes — the cost of an LPA is almost always justified when compared to the alternatives and the potential consequences of not having one: (1) LPA vs NO LPA — THE COST OF LOSING CAPACITY WITHOUT ONE: if a person loses mental capacity without a registered LPA, the family cannot access their bank accounts, pay their bills, manage their investments, sell their property, or make decisions about their care. The only remedy is a Court of Protection Deputyship: 6-12 month wait; £3,000-£6,000+ first-year cost; annual supervision fees and accounting obligations; less flexibility than an LPA. The LPA effectively costs £164 (DIY) vs £3,000-£6,000+ (and ongoing) if you wait until capacity is lost; (2) PROPERTY VALUE CONTEXT: for a homeowner with a house worth £300,000, the LPA costs approximately 0.05% of the property value. Without an LPA, if property needs to be sold to fund care, the CoP Deputyship can delay the sale by 6-12 months — potentially costing tens of thousands in care fees paid from other sources while waiting; (3) PEACE OF MIND FOR FAMILY: the primary value of an LPA is often not IHT or asset management — it is that family members can make medical decisions and manage finances without court proceedings, delay, or cost at what is already a very difficult time; (4) BOTH LPAs TOGETHER: always register both LP1F (Property & Financial Affairs) and LP1H (Health & Welfare) at the same time. A P&FA LPA alone does not cover health decisions. A H&W LPA alone does not cover financial decisions. Total OPG cost for both: £164. Registering one now and one later costs the same but involves extra administration; (5) TIMING: the best time to make an LPA is when you are fit and well — young enough to have full capacity without any doubt. Waiting until illness or old age risks the certificate provider raising capacity concerns, the GP assessment being inconclusive, or the OPG refusing registration. Cost is lowest and process is smoothest when done early.