Lasting Powers of Attorney
A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) lets you choose the people you trust to make decisions on your behalf if illness or an accident ever leaves you unable to make them yourself. It is one of the most powerful — and most overlooked — protections you can put in place, and it only works if it is set up while you still have capacity.
We meet families face to face across South Yorkshire, Derbyshire & Nottinghamshire — and online we cover the whole of England and Wales.
What’s included
- A free, no-obligation initial consultation
- Guidance on both Property & Financial Affairs and Health & Welfare LPAs
- Help choosing attorneys and replacement attorneys
- Preparation and correct completion of all forms
- Clear explanation of the £92 OPG registration fee per LPA
- Support with registering your LPA with the OPG
The two types of LPA
There are two kinds of Lasting Power of Attorney, and most people benefit from having both. A Property & Financial Affairs LPA lets your attorneys manage your money, pay your bills, and deal with your home and savings. A Health & Welfare LPA lets them make decisions about your care, medical treatment and where you live.
Together they mean that if you were ever seriously ill, had a stroke, or developed dementia, the people you have chosen could step in straight away — instead of your family facing a slow, expensive application to the Court of Protection to be allowed to help you.
Why not wait until later?
An LPA can only be made while you have the mental capacity to understand it. That is exactly why it should not be left too late. Once capacity is lost — through illness, injury or age — it is no longer possible to put one in place, and loved ones are left with the far harder Court of Protection route.
Setting up an LPA now is a quiet act of kindness to your future self and your family. We guide you through choosing the right attorneys, including replacement attorneys, and any instructions or preferences you would like recorded.
About the £92 registration fee
An LPA must be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) before it can be used. The OPG charges a statutory registration fee of £92 per LPA — recently increased from the long-standing £82 — and this is a government charge that is separate from our own fee for preparing your documents.
So if you set up both a Property & Financial Affairs LPA and a Health & Welfare LPA, that is two documents to register with the OPG. We are always upfront about this, explain exactly what you will pay and to whom, and can tell you whether you may qualify for a reduction or exemption based on your income or benefits.
Good to know
What is the £92 fee for an LPA?
The £92 is the statutory registration fee charged by the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) to register each Lasting Power of Attorney. It is a government fee — recently increased from £82 — and is charged per document, so registering both a Property & Financial and a Health & Welfare LPA means two OPG fees. It is separate from our fee for preparing your LPAs. Some people on a low income or certain benefits can apply for a reduction or exemption, and we can help you check.
Do I need both types of LPA?
Most people benefit from having both. A Property & Financial Affairs LPA covers your money and property, while a Health & Welfare LPA covers your care and medical treatment. They protect different things, and having both means your chosen attorneys can help across every area of your life if the need arises.
Can I make an LPA if a relative has already lost capacity?
Unfortunately not. An LPA can only be created while the person making it still has mental capacity to understand it. If capacity has already been lost, the family would need to apply to the Court of Protection to become a deputy instead — which is why it is so important not to leave an LPA too late.
Who should I choose as my attorney?
Your attorneys should be people you trust completely to act in your best interests — often a spouse, adult children, a close relative or a trusted friend. You can appoint more than one, decide whether they act together or separately, and name replacements in case an attorney is unable to act. We talk all of this through with you.
Let’s take the first step together
Book a free, no-obligation 15-minute consultation. We’ll answer your questions and help you understand your options — with absolutely no pressure.