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

It costs £92 to register each LPA with the Office of the Public Guardian in England and Wales, so £184 for one person making both types (fee correct as of 2026 — check gov.uk). The fee rose from £82 on 17 November 2025.

Can the LPA registration fee be reduced or waived?

Yes. The fee is halved to £46 per LPA if the donor's gross annual income is under £12,000, and waived entirely if the donor receives certain means-tested benefits. You apply using form LPA120 when you register.

Do you need a solicitor to make a power of attorney?

No. The online service at gov.uk/power-of-attorney is designed to be completed without a solicitor, and for straightforward family situations it works well. Solicitor fees for drafting LPAs vary widely — typically a few hundred pounds per document — so get quotes if you want professional help.

Are there ongoing costs after an LPA is registered?

No. Once registered, an LPA costs nothing to keep or to use — there are no annual fees, renewals or reporting charges. The only later expense some families choose is certified copies of the document, though the free OPG online sharing service makes these less necessary.

How much does a deputyship cost compared with an LPA?

Considerably more. If a parent loses capacity without an LPA, the family must apply to the Court of Protection for deputyship, which typically costs several hundred pounds up front plus ongoing annual fees, and often a professional capacity assessment fee — check gov.uk/become-deputy for current figures.

Is a power of attorney cheaper for a couple?

Each person makes their own LPAs, so a couple making both types pays £368 in registration fees in total — four documents at £92 each (fee correct as of 2026 — check gov.uk). Fee remissions are assessed on each donor's own income, so one partner may qualify even if the other does not.

How much does a power of attorney cost? (2026)

A lasting power of attorney costs £92 per LPA to register in England and Wales — so £184 for one parent making both types — and you can do the whole thing yourself online at gov.uk without paying a solicitor. Fee correct as of 2026 — check gov.uk. If your parent has a low income the fee is halved, and if they receive certain means-tested benefits it is waived entirely.

The real cost question is not the fee — it is whether to pay a solicitor, and what it costs a family if the LPA is never made at all. This guide covers all three.

This guide is general information, not financial or legal advice. For advice about your own situation, speak to a regulated professional, or a free service such as Citizens Advice or Age UK.

What are the LPA registration fees?

The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) charges a registration fee for each LPA. There are two types of LPA — property and financial affairs, and health and welfare — and each is a separate document with a separate fee. (Not sure which types you need? See our guide to the two types of LPA.)

What you’re registering	Fee
One LPA (either type)	£92
Both types for one person	£184
Both types each, for a couple	£368

The fee rose from £82 to £92 on 17 November 2025. Fee correct as of 2026 — check gov.uk/power-of-attorney for the current figure when you apply.

Can the fee be reduced or waived?

Yes, and families often miss this. Two reductions exist, both based on the donor’s (your parent’s) finances, not yours:

50% remission — if your parent’s gross annual income is under £12,000, each fee is halved to £46.
Full exemption — if your parent receives certain means-tested benefits, there is nothing to pay at all.

You claim either one with form LPA120, sent in with the registration. If your parent is on a low income and not claiming the benefits that would make the LPA free, that is worth investigating in its own right — our free benefits check is a good place to start.

Do you need a solicitor — and what would one charge?

For a straightforward situation — a parent with clear wishes, capacity not in doubt, family broadly in agreement — no. The gov.uk online service is designed for people to complete themselves, and many thousands of families do exactly that. Doing it yourself means the only cost is the registration fee.

Solicitor fees for drafting LPAs vary widely — typically a few hundred pounds per document — so if you want professional help, get two or three quotes rather than accepting the first figure.

A solicitor genuinely earns their fee in three situations:

Capacity is in doubt. After a dementia diagnosis, a solicitor can assess your parent, act as certificate provider, and record that the LPA was validly made — strong protection if anyone challenges it later.
The estate is complex. Business interests, multiple properties, discretionary trusts, or instructions and preferences that need careful drafting.
The family is not in agreement. If siblings are likely to dispute who should act or how, an independent professional in the middle of the process protects your parent — and the eventual attorney.

For any of these, look for a member of Solicitors for the Elderly (sfe.legal) — specialists in exactly this work with older clients.

Are there any hidden or ongoing costs?

Refreshingly, no. Once an LPA is registered:

There are no annual fees, no renewals, and nothing to pay for as long as it exists.
Using it costs nothing — banks and the DWP do not charge to accept it.
The OPG’s free online “use a lasting power of attorney” service lets attorneys share the LPA with banks by access code, which for most purposes replaces posting documents around.
Some organisations still ask for certified copies of the paper document. A solicitor can certify copies for a modest charge (prices vary — ask when you get quotes), or the donor can certify copies themselves while they have capacity.

What does it cost if you leave it too late?

This is the comparison that matters. An LPA can only be made while your parent has mental capacity. If capacity is lost first, the family must apply to the Court of Protection for a deputyship instead — and the difference is stark:

Cost. A deputyship application typically means several hundred pounds up front, often a professional capacity assessment fee on top, and then ongoing annual costs: a supervision fee and a security bond. Check gov.uk/become-deputy for current fees. Against £92 for an LPA, it is not close.
Time. LPA registration takes up to around 20 weeks; a deputyship application typically takes several months, during which no one can access your parent’s money.
Ongoing burden. Deputies file annual reports to the OPG for as long as the deputyship lasts. Attorneys under an LPA have duties too, but no routine annual reporting.

If you are already in that position, our guide to what to do when a parent has lost mental capacity covers deputyship and the quicker partial routes, such as free DWP appointeeship for benefits.

Do the same fees apply in Scotland and Northern Ireland?

No — the £92 fee is for England and Wales only. Scotland has its own system of continuing and welfare powers of attorney with its own registration fee (see mygov.scot), and Northern Ireland still uses enduring powers of attorney (see nidirect.gov.uk). Use the process, and the fee, for where your parent lives.

Is £184 worth it?

Set against what it prevents — months of Court of Protection process, running annual fees, and a family locked out of a parent’s accounts during a crisis — the LPA fee is one of the cheapest pieces of insurance a family can buy. The full picture, from the capacity rules to choosing attorneys, is in our complete guide to power of attorney for an elderly parent.

And while you are sorting the legal side, make sure the money side is claimed: unclaimed benefits like Attendance Allowance and Pension Credit are usually worth far more per year than the LPA costs once. Run the free benefits check to see what your parent may be entitled to.