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Care Fees & Later Life2 min check

Lasting Power of Attorney Checker

An LPA lets someone you trust make decisions if you lose capacity. There are two types — find out which apply to your situation.

Short answer

A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) lets someone you trust make decisions for you if you lose mental capacity. There are two types: Property & Financial Affairs (bills, property, pensions — usable as soon as registered if you allow) and Health & Welfare (care, treatment, life-sustaining decisions — only usable when you've lost capacity). Each costs £82 to register with the Office of the Public Guardian; takes 16–20 weeks.
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Your situation

Does the person currently have mental capacity?

How it works

The checker reviews your current arrangements (existing LPA / Enduring Power of Attorney / nothing), your family setup (attorneys, replacements), and decision rules (jointly vs jointly-and-severally). It highlights gaps — most commonly missing Health LPA, no replacement attorney, or out-of-date EPA from before 2007.

Worked example

A 70-year-old has an old EPA from 2005 (still valid, but only covers property/finance, not health). Recommendation: keep EPA, add new Health & Welfare LPA (£82). Total time: ~5 hours of paperwork or £200–£400 via solicitor.

Who should use this

  • •Adults aged 50+ with no LPA
  • •Couples (both should have both types)
  • •People with early-stage dementia diagnosis (urgent — must have capacity to sign)
  • •Carers of elderly parents

Common mistakes

  • ×Waiting until capacity is lost — then it's a £3,000+ Court of Protection deputyship
  • ×Only doing Property & Finance, not Health
  • ×No replacement attorney — system collapses if main attorney dies first
  • ×DIY mistakes — unsigned witness, missing certificate provider

Frequently asked questions

Can I appoint multiple attorneys?▾

Yes — 'jointly' (must agree on every decision) or 'jointly and severally' (any can act alone, more practical).

Can attorneys see my will?▾

Generally no — wills aren't disclosed until death.

What if I'm abroad?▾

LPAs only cover England & Wales. Scotland uses Continuing & Welfare Powers of Attorney; NI uses EPAs.

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