This guide explains Lasting Powers of Attorney in England and Wales in plain English. It is not legal advice. The official forms and the GOV.UK online service are free. Settle is not connected to the Office of the Public Guardian or GOV.UK.
How much does a Lasting Power of Attorney cost, and can you get help with the fee?
Checked against GOV.UK, form LPA120 (04.26) and DWP benefit and pension rates 2026/27 on 18 October 2026. Benefit and pension figures are rechecked each April.
Quick answer
It costs £92 to register each Lasting Power of Attorney with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG), so £184 for both types. The forms and the official online service are free. The donor may pay half (£46) if their income before tax is under £12,000 a year, or nothing if they get certain means-tested benefits. Universal Credit can only give the half fee.
- £92 per LPA for applications OPG received from 17 November 2025. It was £82 before.14
- Help with the fee depends on the donor's circumstances, not the attorneys'.8
- Attendance Allowance, DLA, PIP and the State Pension count as income for the half-fee test, and none of them gives an exemption.2
- Apply for help when you send the LPA. OPG says, "Retrospective refunds are not possible" and "All fees are non-refundable."3
The three fee levels at a glance
| Level | What the donor pays per LPA | Who it's for | How |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full fee | £92 | Everyone who doesn't qualify for help | Pay when you apply |
| Remission (half fee) | £46 (£23 for a repeat application) | Donor's income before tax is under £12,000 a year | Form LPA120, Section 4, with evidence |
| Exemption | £0 | Donor gets one of the means-tested benefits listed below | Form LPA120, Section 3, with evidence |
| Hardship | OPG decides | The donor doesn't qualify, but paying would cause financial hardship | Written request with the LPA and LPA120 |
Sources: GOV.UK and LPA120.123
What's free: the official forms, the LP12 guide and the online service ("It is free to complete your LPA online").9 The £92 is OPG's registration fee. It is paid to OPG, not to any website or service that helps you.
Paying nothing: the exemption
The donor pays no fee if they get:
- Income Support
- income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- the Guarantee Credit part of Pension Credit
- Housing Benefit
- Working Tax Credit together with Child Tax Credit, or with a disability or severe disability element
- Council Tax Support or Council Tax Reduction
Discounts such as the 25% single person discount or an empty-property (inoccupancy) discount don't count.2
The donor can't use the exemption if they were awarded more than £16,000 in personal injury damages that were ignored when their benefit was assessed. That includes payments for criminal or medical negligence.2
Only the Guarantee Credit part of Pension Credit gives an exemption. Savings Credit on its own is counted as income for the half-fee test.2
Paying half: the remission
The donor may pay half the fee if their income before tax is under £12,000 a year.3
Exactly £12,000? OPG's own wording varies. LPA120 says "£12,000 or less" in one place and "less than £12,000" in another, including on the tick box. If the donor's income is exactly £12,000, check with OPG on 0300 456 0300 before you apply.2
With a remission you pay £46 to register an LPA, or £23 for a repeat LPA application.2
What counts as income
This is where many people are caught out. For the half-fee test, these all count as income:2
- State, private or occupational pensions, including pension drawdown
- the State Pension
- Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance and Personal Independence Payment
None of these benefits gives an exemption on its own.2
- Check if you pay £92, half, or nothing
- Get every signature in the right order first time
- Know what to do after it's registered
- Decide who should be your attorneys, with simple worksheets
Worked examples (2026/27 rates)
These use DWP's 2026/27 weekly rates multiplied by 52. They are illustrations, not a ruling: OPG decides each application.
| Donor | Yearly income before tax | Under £12,000? | Likely route to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full new State Pension (£241.30 a week) and nothing else5 | £12,547.60 | No | Full fee, unless they get a benefit on the exemption list |
| Old basic State Pension (£184.90 a week)6 | £9,614.80 | Yes | Half fee (£46) may apply |
| Old basic State Pension plus Attendance Allowance at the lower rate (£76.70 a week)67 | £9,614.80 + £3,988.40 = £13,603.20 | No | Full fee: Attendance Allowance pushes the total over |
| Old basic State Pension plus a £2,000 a year workplace pension | £11,614.80 | Yes | Half fee (£46) may apply |
| Gets the Guarantee Credit part of Pension Credit | Not relevant | — | Exemption (£0) may apply |
Why the full new State Pension rarely gets fee help. £241.30 a week is above the £12,000 half-fee line. It is also above the single Pension Credit standard minimum guarantee for 2026/27 (£238.00 a week), so someone on the full new State Pension and nothing else usually won't get Guarantee Credit either. Guarantee Credit tends to arise only where extra amounts apply, such as for severe disability, caring or housing costs. That is our reading of the rates, so check your own case with Pension Credit or OPG.6
Attendance Allowance is £76.70 a week (lower rate) or £114.60 a week (higher rate) in 2026/27.7
Universal Credit: half fee only
If the donor gets Universal Credit, OPG can only consider them for the half-fee remission, not the full exemption. GOV.UK says they "will be assessed for a remission of fees and cannot be assessed for an exemption of fees."3
To qualify, their total income before tax must be no more than £12,000, and you need 12 months of Universal Credit statements, or a screenshot for each of the 12 months from the Universal Credit account.2
Hardship applications
If the donor doesn't qualify but paying would cause financial hardship, you can write to OPG asking for a fee reduction. This is called a hardship application. Send the letter with the LPA and the LPA120 form, and OPG will then ask for the information it needs. OPG does not publish criteria for hardship.2
Evidence: what OPG asks for
- Evidence must be for the correct financial year (1 April to 31 March) and include the donor's title, full name, address and postcode.2
- Bank statements on their own are not accepted.2
- If the donor has no income, send a signed statement explaining how they support themselves.2
- OPG accepts scanned or photographic copies of LPA120 and the evidence, as long as they are clear and easy to read.2
- Send LPA120 and the evidence at the same time as the LPA.2
If OPG says no
If OPG refuses an exemption or remission, you can ask in writing for a review. OPG must receive your request within 28 days of the date on its decision letter, and it will tell you its decision within 21 days. You can only ask for one review of the same application.2
How to pay
- Online service: pay by card online.1
- Paper application: ask OPG to contact you to take a card payment (say so on the form or in a covering letter), or pay by cheque made payable to "Office of the Public Guardian" with the donor's full name on the back.2
- You can't use Payment by Account.1
If OPG sends the LPA back
If OPG returns your LPA because of a mistake, it may let you correct it and apply again within 3 months for £46, depending on the type of mistake.1 With a remission, a repeat application costs £23.2 See Common LPA mistakes, rejections and delays.
What else might cost money
- Professional help: if a solicitor or other professional prepares the forms or acts as certificate provider, they may charge. Ask for a written quote, and ask whether it includes the £92 OPG fee. See Making an LPA without a solicitor.
- Enduring Powers of Attorney: registering an older EPA also costs £92.10
- Scotland: a different system with a £99 registration fee from 1 April 2026 (£102 from 1 April 2027). See mygov.scot.
Frequently asked questions
Do we pay £92 for each LPA?
Yes. Each LPA is a separate application, so both types cost £184 in total.1
Whose income counts, the donor's or the attorney's?
The donor's. LP12 says reductions "are based on the donor's income".8
Can we claim the fee back later if we find out we qualified?
No. OPG says, "Retrospective refunds are not possible." Apply for help with LPA120 when you send the LPA.3
Is the fee going to change?
The fee last changed on 17 November 2025, from £82 to £92. Check the GOV.UK registration page before you post the LPA.
- Check if you pay £92, half, or nothing
- Get every signature in the right order first time
- Know what to do after it's registered
- Decide who should be your attorneys, with simple worksheets
This guide is general information, not legal or benefits advice. Only OPG can decide whether a donor qualifies for an exemption, remission or hardship reduction. Benefit and pension rates change every April.
Related guides
Sources & references
The figures and rules in this guide are drawn from the official and charity pages below, checked on 18 October 2026. Each link opens the page itself. Always confirm current figures on GOV.UK before you act, as fees and processing times change.
- Register a lasting power of attorney: how much it costs — GOV.UK
- LPA and EPA fees (LPA120), version 04.26 — GOV.UK
- Applying for a reduced fee for your power of attorney — GOV.UK
- Changes to lasting power of attorney fees (2025) — GOV.UK
- The new State Pension: what you'll get — GOV.UK
- Benefit and pension rates 2026 to 2027 — DWP
- Attendance Allowance: what you'll get — GOV.UK
- LP12: Make and register your lasting power of attorney (web version) — GOV.UK
- Make an LPA online (official service)
- Register an enduring power of attorney — GOV.UK
Settle publishes general information about Lasting Powers of Attorney in England and Wales. It is not a law firm, does not provide legal advice, and does not prepare, check or register LPAs. For advice about your situation, speak to a solicitor or a free advice service.