Most of the questions we are asked about lasting powers of attorney are not about what an LPA does. They are about money and time: what does it cost, is there any help with the fee, and how long will we be waiting before it can be used? Those are fair questions, and the answers are published, so this article sticks to what the official sources said at the date of publication.
If you want the broader picture of what an LPA is and why it matters, our separate article on what a lasting power of attorney is covers that ground. This one is narrower: fees, reductions, timing and the point at which an attorney can start acting.
The Fee Is £92 Per LPA
GOV.UK states that applying to register an LPA costs £92. The fee is charged per LPA, not per person, so if you make both a health and welfare LPA and a property and financial affairs LPA, GOV.UK confirms it will cost £184 in total.
That figure is relatively recent. The Ministry of Justice announced that the fee would rise from £82 per LPA application to £92, payable for applications received by the Office of the Public Guardian from 17 November 2025. If you are working from an older article, a leaflet or a quote from a previous year, check the figure again before you send a cheque.
There is also a separate, cheaper route if something goes wrong on the form. GOV.UK explains that, depending on the type of mistake, OPG may let you correct it and apply again within 3 months for £46. That is a repeat application fee rather than a discount, and it only applies in defined circumstances.
Reductions and Exemptions: Who Pays Less
Not everyone pays the full £92. There are two distinct forms of help, and they are assessed on the donor's circumstances, not the attorney's. The donor is the person making the LPA.
- Exemption: OPG's guidance states that if the donor receives certain means-tested benefits when you apply to register the LPA, you will not have to pay anything.
- 50% remission: if the donor's income before tax is less than £12,000 a year, you will only have to pay half the fee.
- Universal Credit is treated differently: OPG states that if the donor is receiving Universal Credit, they will be assessed for a remission of fees and cannot be assessed for an exemption of fees.
- Timing matters: OPG states that payment must be made at the time of applying, that retrospective refunds are not possible and that all fees are non-refundable.
The list of qualifying benefits and the evidence OPG needs are set out on the application form itself. GOV.UK publishes the form, its notes and the summary of the £92 and £46 amounts under applying for a reduced fee for your power of attorney. We would always suggest reading the form's eligibility notes rather than assuming, because the benefit that qualifies a household for one form of help does not always qualify it for the other.
How Long Registration Takes: What GOV.UK Actually Says
This is where people are most often given a number that turns out to be wrong, so it is worth being precise. GOV.UK currently carries two different figures in two different guides, and we think you should know about both rather than be quoted one of them as if it were settled.
- The guide on making and registering an LPA states: 'It takes 8 to 10 weeks to register an LPA if there are no mistakes in the application.'
- The guide for people already acting as an attorney states: 'It can take up to 16 weeks to register a lasting power of attorney.'
Both are official wordings, published by GOV.UK at Register a lasting power of attorney and Manage a lasting power of attorney respectively. The first estimate expressly applies where there are no mistakes; the second simply says registration can take up to 16 weeks. Neither is a guaranteed turnaround, so it is better to keep the two published estimates separate than to turn them into a single promised range. Problems with the paperwork can add further delay.
Part of that wait is structural rather than administrative. OPG's current LP12 guide states that there is a legal four-week wait before OPG can register an LPA, which gives any people to notify a chance to object. That wait is separate from the notification step. LP12 explains that the LP3 form must be sent to each person to notify just before the LPA form goes to OPG, and that a person who is notified has three weeks from the date they were notified to object. So even a flawless application cannot be registered immediately.
The practical lesson is simple: an LPA is not a document to organise in a crisis. If you are making one because of a diagnosis, a hospital admission or a house sale that needs completing, start the clock now rather than in a fortnight.
When Can an LPA Actually Be Used?
Registration is the gate. GOV.UK is explicit that you must register your LPA or your attorney will not be able to make decisions for you, and the guidance for attorneys lists 'use the LPA unless it is registered' among the things an attorney must not do. GOV.UK also notes that a registered LPA will be stamped with 'validated-OPG', which is what banks and other organisations look for.
After registration, the two types of LPA behave differently, and this catches people out.
- A property and financial affairs LPA, in GOV.UK's words, 'can be used as soon as it's registered, with your permission'. It does not have to wait until you lose capacity.
- A health and welfare LPA 'can only be used when you're unable to make your own decisions'.
- Either way, the attorney must follow any preferences and instructions the donor wrote into the LPA, act in the donor's best interests, keep the donor's money separate from their own and keep records of what they do.
The full list of an attorney's duties is set out on GOV.UK's Manage a lasting power of attorney guide. It is worth reading before you agree to act for someone, because the role is a real obligation and not simply a favour.
The Mistake That Costs the Most
The expensive error is not the £92. It is leaving registration until after capacity has gone. OPG's current LP12 guide puts it plainly: if you apply to register your own LPA now, OPG can spot potential mistakes while you still have mental capacity. If registration is delayed and the donor loses capacity, an attorney can still apply to register the LPA, but it will not be possible to correct mistakes.
Where no valid, registered LPA exists and someone can no longer make decisions, an application to the Court of Protection may be needed. If the court appoints a deputy, the arrangement can involve court and supervision fees as well as ongoing supervision by OPG. That is a different process from having a valid LPA ready to use.
What to Expect If You Apply
- Decide whether you want one LPA or both, remembering that the £92 fee applies to each one.
- Check whether the donor qualifies for a 50 percent remission or a full exemption, and get the evidence ready before you apply, because the fee cannot be refunded later.
- Send the LP3 notification form to everyone listed as a person to be told, then apply to register as soon as you have done so.
- Expect a minimum four-week statutory wait, plus OPG's processing time on top.
- Keep a dated record of what you sent and when, so you can follow up accurately.
- Once the LPA comes back stamped 'validated-OPG', check whether the attorney can start acting yet, which depends on which type of LPA it is.
How AIB Estate Planning Can Help
We provide will writing and estate planning services from our base in Blackpool for clients across England and Wales. We do not provide regulated financial advice or reserved legal services. We can discuss what each type of LPA covers, help you record your choices accurately, and guide you through the notification and registration process. If your position calls for individual legal, tax or financial advice, we will encourage you to speak to an appropriately qualified adviser.
If you would like to talk it through, call AIB Estate Planning on 0800 048 7320. It is a straightforward conversation, and there is no obligation attached to it.
This article is general information based on GOV.UK guidance current at the date of publication, and it is not legal or financial advice about your own circumstances. Fees and published timescales change, so check GOV.UK before you apply. To discuss the LPA forms and registration process, call AIB Estate Planning on 0800 048 7320.
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