Can You Make an LPA Yourself?

Written by Anthony Dalton · Reviewed by James Tyrrell · Last reviewed 8 April 2026

Thousands of people in England and Wales create their own Lasting Power of Attorney every year without any professional help. There is no legal requirement to use a solicitor — the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) provides tools specifically designed for the public to do it themselves. With the right preparation, the process is more straightforward than most people expect. Our step-by-step guide to making an LPA walks through the full process.

What You Need Before You Start

Before you begin creating your LPA, you need to make several important decisions and gather some basic information:

• Which type of LPA – Property and Financial Affairs, Health and Welfare, or both. Most people benefit from having both types in place.
• Who your attorneys will be – These are the people who will make decisions on your behalf. You need their full names, dates of birth, and addresses.
• How your attorneys will act – If you appoint more than one attorney, you must decide whether they act jointly (all must agree), severally (each can act independently), or a combination.
• A certificate provider – An independent person who confirms you understand the LPA and are not being pressured. This can be someone who has known you well for at least two years, or a professional like a doctor or solicitor.
• Any preferences or instructions – Guidance for your attorneys about how you want decisions to be made.

Step-by-Step: Making Your Own LPA

Here is the process from start to finish:

• Step 1: Decide which type(s) of LPA you need.
• Step 2: Choose your attorneys and discuss the role with them.
• Step 3: Choose a certificate provider and confirm they are willing.
• Step 4: Complete the LPA forms using the OPG's online tool or a service like UKLPA.co.uk.
• Step 5: Print the completed forms.
• Step 6: Sign in the correct order — donor first (with a witness), then certificate provider, then each attorney (each with a witness).
• Step 7: Post the signed forms to the OPG with the £92 registration fee per LPA.
• Step 8: Wait for the OPG to process and register your LPA (currently 8–10 weeks).

Common Pitfalls When Making Your Own LPA

While making an LPA yourself is perfectly possible, there are several common mistakes that trip people up:

• Signing in the wrong order – This is the single most common reason for LPA applications being rejected. The donor must sign before the certificate provider, and the certificate provider must sign before the attorneys.
• Choosing an ineligible certificate provider – Family members, your attorneys, and anyone under 18 cannot be a certificate provider. Many people do not realise this and name a relative.
• Contradictory instructions – Writing instructions that conflict with each other or are impossible to follow can cause problems. For example, requiring attorneys to act jointly for all decisions but then specifying that one attorney alone can make certain choices.
• Not appointing replacement attorneys – While optional, failing to name replacements means that if your sole attorney can no longer act, the LPA fails entirely.
• Using incorrect witness arrangements – An attorney cannot witness the donor's signature. Each signature needs an independent witness who is over 18.

For a more detailed list, see our guide on common mistakes when creating an LPA.

What Are the Risks of Making an LPA Yourself?

Creating your own LPA is entirely doable, but it helps to understand what is at stake if things go wrong. The £92 registration fee is non-refundable — if the OPG rejects your application because of an error, you lose that money and have to pay again when you resubmit. Over time, that can add up to more than a guided service would have cost in the first place.

Without a professional or automated review, mistakes in your forms might not surface until the OPG returns them weeks later. That delay matters if you are trying to get an LPA in place before a planned medical procedure or while a loved one still has capacity.

Some situations are also harder to handle without guidance. If you own a business, hold assets overseas, or anticipate disagreements within the family, the wording of your instructions and preferences becomes especially important. Getting it wrong could leave your attorneys in a difficult position or even lead to a rejected application.

When Professional Help Is Worth the Extra Cost

For most people with straightforward circumstances, creating an LPA yourself is perfectly achievable. That said, you may want to consider getting help if:

• You own a business or have complex financial arrangements
• You have assets in other countries
• There are family disagreements about the LPA
• You have concerns about your mental capacity
• You are unsure about how to word your preferences and instructions

Getting help does not necessarily mean hiring a solicitor. A guided online service like UKLPA.co.uk provides professional document preparation and review for just £89 per LPA — a fraction of the £300–£1,000+ that solicitors typically charge — while still letting you make all the important decisions yourself.

Our guides on making an LPA without a solicitor and whether you need a solicitor for an LPA explore this further.

The Cost of Doing It Yourself

If you use the OPG's online tool, the only cost is the £92 registration fee per LPA. If you create both types (Property and Financial Affairs plus Health and Welfare), that is £184 in total. A fee exemption or reduction may be available if you receive certain means-tested benefits or have an income below £12,000.

If you use an online preparation service like UKLPA, the service fee is £89 per LPA, bringing the total to £181 per LPA — still significantly less than using a solicitor at £300–£1,000+.

Frequently Asked Questions

This guide was last reviewed and updated on 8 April 2026. Information is based on current legislation and OPG guidance for England and Wales.

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