How we help you arrange your Lasting Powers of Attorney
Talk to us by telephone, Microsoft Teams or Zoom, wherever you live in England and Wales. You don’t need to visit an office or use an online portal.
- 1
Talk through your choices
We help you decide which types of LPA you want, who to appoint as attorneys or replacements, and how they should make decisions.
- 2
Prepare and review your documents
We draft the forms around your choices and make any draft amendments you need before you approve them for signing, at no extra charge.
- 3
Guide you through signing
We explain the certificate provider’s role, who needs to sign and witness each section, and the order in which they should do it.
- 4
Check before you send
We check the completed signed documents and help resolve any issues before you send the originals directly to the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG). We explain where to send them and can help with questions during registration.
How much does an LPA cost?
These are the current Xwills preparation fees. No VAT is added. OPG registration fees are separate.
| Service | Xwills preparation fee |
|---|---|
| Property & Financial Affairs OR Health & Welfare for one person | £295 |
| Property & Financial Affairs AND Health & Welfare for one person | £395 |
| Property & Financial Affairs OR Health & Welfare for each person in a couple | £495 total for both people |
| Property & Financial Affairs AND Health & Welfare for each person in a couple | £595 total for both people |
OPG registration costs £92 per LPA unless a reduction or exemption applies. See our LPA cost guide for DIY registration costs and total costs with Xwills, or all our fixed fees and packages.
Property & Financial Affairs LPA
Can cover decisions about money and property, including bank accounts, bills, investments, pensions and property transactions, subject to the document and the donor's choices.
Health & Welfare LPA
Can cover decisions about personal care, medical treatment, where someone lives and life-sustaining treatment where the appropriate authority has been given.
Which LPA should you consider?
The two LPA types do different jobs. Choose the area you want to cover.
Both types of LPA
Broader cover across financial affairs and health & welfare decisions.
Do you need a Will as well as an LPA?
A Will and an LPA cover different stages of life. A Will records what should happen to your estate after death. An LPA gives chosen attorneys authority for specified decisions while you are alive; that authority ends on death.
| Question | Will | LPA |
|---|---|---|
| When does it operate? | After death. | During your lifetime, subject to registration, its terms and the relevant capacity rules. |
| Who acts? | Your executors, with trustees for any continuing trust. | Your appointed attorneys. |
| What does it cover? | Inheritance, executors and any appropriate guardianship or trust provisions. | Financial decisions, health and welfare decisions, or both through separate LPAs. |
The same person may be appointed as an attorney and executor, but the roles and authority remain separate. Review both documents after major family or financial changes. See our Will-planning guide for executors, beneficiaries, ownership and signing.
Why make an LPA while you have capacity?
You must have mental capacity when you make an LPA. Family members do not automatically gain legal authority to manage another adult's finances or make all decisions for them simply because they are a spouse, partner or child.
An LPA lets you choose the people you trust in advance and define how you want them to act within the document.
Explore the two types of LPA
Property & Financial Affairs
Banking, bills, property and other financial decisions.
Explore this LPA →Health & Welfare
Care, accommodation, medical treatment and welfare decisions when capacity is lacking.
Explore this LPA →Frequently asked questions
Can I arrange my LPA by telephone without using an online portal?
Yes. Xwills provides consultations by telephone, Zoom, Microsoft Teams or another agreed video-call service for clients across England and Wales. You do not need to use an online portal or visit our office. The documents still require the appropriate signatures and witnessing; we explain each step.
What is included in the Xwills LPA preparation fee?
Personal guidance, preparation, free draft amendments before approval for signing, instructions explaining who signs what and where, checking the completed signed documents before you send the originals directly to the OPG, and assistance through registration. OPG registration fees are separate.
What is a Lasting Power of Attorney?
A Lasting Power of Attorney is a legal document that allows you, as the donor, to appoint one or more attorneys to help make decisions or to make decisions on your behalf within the authority given by the LPA.
Do I need both types of LPA?
The two LPAs cover different areas. A Property and Financial Affairs LPA does not itself give authority over health and welfare decisions, and a Health and Welfare LPA does not itself give authority over bank accounts, bills or property.
When can a Property and Financial Affairs LPA be used?
Once registered, it can potentially be used while the donor still has capacity if the document allows this and the donor gives permission. The exact authority depends on the LPA.
When can a Health and Welfare LPA be used?
A Health and Welfare LPA can only be used when the donor is unable to make the relevant decision themselves.
How long does LPA registration take?
GOV.UK currently states that registration generally takes around 8 to 10 weeks if there are no mistakes in the application. Processing times can change.
What is the Office of the Public Guardian registration fee?
GOV.UK currently lists a £92 registration fee for each LPA, subject to any available reduction or exemption. Government fees can change.
A simple first step
Ask us a question
No obligation. We’ll respond personally.
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Tell us what you want to achieve
You do not need to know the name of the legal document or trust before speaking to us. Explain the family, property or planning issue and we can discuss the relevant options.
Have a question before booking? Send us a short message and we’ll respond personally.