Using Your LPA: A Complete Practical Guide

Written by Anthony Dalton · Reviewed by James Tyrrell · Last reviewed 11 April 2026

Getting a Lasting Power of Attorney registered is one thing. Knowing how to actually use it in practice — at the bank, in a hospital, with utility companies, or when selling a property — is something else entirely. Many attorneys find this part surprisingly confusing, not because the law is complicated, but because every organisation seems to have its own process. This guide brings together everything you need to know about using a registered LPA in everyday situations across England and Wales.

When Can You Start Using an LPA?

Before anything else, the LPA must be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian. An unregistered LPA — even one that has been properly signed and witnessed — has no legal effect. Banks will turn you away, hospitals will not recognise it, and no organisation is under any obligation to accept it. Registration is a firm legal requirement under the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

Once the LPA is registered, when you can actually start using it depends on which type you hold. A Property and Financial Affairs LPA can be used as soon as it is registered — even while the donor still has full mental capacity. However, if the donor does still have capacity, you must have their permission before acting on their behalf. This is a common arrangement where the donor simply wants help managing their finances, perhaps because of a physical disability or because they travel frequently.

A Health and Welfare LPA works differently. It can only be used when the donor lacks the mental capacity to make the specific decision in question. This is not a general “on or off” switch — mental capacity is assessed decision by decision. A person might lack capacity to decide about a complex medical procedure but still be perfectly able to choose what they eat for lunch. As an attorney, you can only step in for the decisions the donor genuinely cannot make.

It is worth registering the LPA well in advance of when you expect to need it. The OPG registration process typically takes 8 to 10 weeks, and delays are common during busy periods or if there are errors in the paperwork. Waiting until a crisis hits often means weeks of being unable to act. For more detail, see our guide on whether an LPA can be used immediately.

Using an LPA With Banks and Building Societies

Managing someone’s bank accounts is one of the most common reasons attorneys need to use a Property and Financial Affairs LPA. Every major UK bank and building society is legally required to accept a valid, registered LPA. In practice, though, each bank has its own internal process for recording the attorney’s authority, and it pays to get this done early rather than waiting until you urgently need access.

To register the LPA with a bank, you will typically need to visit a branch in person with the original stamped LPA document (or a certified copy), along with your own photo ID and proof of address. Some banks — including most of the major high street names — now also accept online verification through the OPG’s access code service, which can speed things up considerably. Once the bank has recorded your authority, you should be able to manage the donor’s accounts, make payments, and handle day-to-day banking.

One important point: you need to register the LPA separately with each bank or building society where the donor holds accounts. Registering with one bank does not carry over to another. If the donor has accounts with three different institutions, that means three separate registration processes. This is why keeping multiple certified copies of the LPA is so useful — you can register with several banks in parallel rather than sending the same document from one to the next.

Joint bank accounts can cause particular confusion. Some banks will freeze a joint account if they become aware that one account holder has lost mental capacity, even if the other holder is perfectly capable. Registering the LPA promptly avoids this problem. For a step-by-step walkthrough, see our guides on how LPAs work with banks and how to register an LPA with a bank.

Using an LPA for Medical and Health Decisions

A Health and Welfare LPA gives the attorney authority to make decisions about the donor’s medical treatment, care arrangements, and day-to-day personal welfare — but only when the donor lacks the mental capacity to make those decisions themselves. This is one of the most sensitive areas of attorney responsibility, and it is important to understand both the scope and the limits of your authority.

In a hospital or GP setting, the Health and Welfare LPA allows you to be consulted about treatment options, to give or refuse consent to medical procedures, and to access the donor’s medical records. NHS staff are required to involve you in treatment decisions when the donor cannot make them independently. However, doctors are not obliged to follow your instructions if they believe a particular course of treatment is not in the donor’s best interests — the attorney’s role is to represent the donor’s wishes and values, not to override clinical judgement entirely.

If the LPA specifically grants authority over life-sustaining treatment, the attorney can make decisions about whether to continue, withdraw, or withhold treatments that are keeping the donor alive. This is an opt-in provision — it must be explicitly included in the LPA when it is created. Without it, those decisions fall to the medical team.

For care home placements, the Health and Welfare LPA allows the attorney to choose where the donor lives, agree care plans, and raise concerns about the quality of care being provided. It is a good idea to register a copy of the LPA with the donor’s GP surgery, any hospital departments involved in their care, and the care home itself. That way, staff know who to contact when decisions need to be made. For more on these topics, see our detailed guides on using an LPA with the NHS, LPAs and medical treatment, LPAs and care homes, what decisions can be made about care homes, whether an attorney can override doctors, and how attorneys access medical records.

Using an LPA for Property and Finances

A Property and Financial Affairs LPA covers a broad range of financial decisions, from everyday banking to major transactions like selling a house. As an attorney, you can manage the donor’s savings and current accounts, pay their bills, deal with their tax affairs, collect their pension and benefits, manage their investments, and handle insurance policies — essentially anything financial that the donor would normally do themselves.

Selling the donor’s property is one of the more significant decisions an attorney may face. This might be necessary to fund care home fees or simply because the donor can no longer live independently. The attorney has the legal authority to instruct solicitors, sign contracts, and complete the sale on the donor’s behalf. However, any property sale must be in the donor’s best interests, and the attorney should be able to demonstrate that they considered alternatives before proceeding. The Land Registry will need to see the registered LPA before the transaction can go through.

Managing investments and pensions requires particular care. The attorney must act prudently and in the donor’s best interests, which usually means taking a cautious approach rather than speculating with the donor’s money. Most investment firms and pension providers will need you to register the LPA with them before they grant access, and each has its own process for doing so. The same applies to HMRC if you need to file tax returns on the donor’s behalf.

One of the most important rules for financial attorneys is to keep the donor’s money completely separate from your own. Never mix funds, and keep detailed records of every transaction you make. The Office of the Public Guardian can investigate attorneys, and clear records are your best protection if your decisions are ever questioned. For more on specific financial situations, see our guides on LPAs and property sales, managing investments, managing pensions, and LPAs and tax returns.

Using an LPA With Utility Companies and Everyday Services

Beyond banks and hospitals, attorneys often need to deal with a wide range of everyday organisations on the donor’s behalf — energy suppliers, water companies, broadband providers, mobile phone networks, the Post Office, and insurance companies. These are the day-to-day tasks that keep the donor’s life running smoothly, and a Property and Financial Affairs LPA covers all of them.

Most utility companies will ask you to send a copy of the registered LPA (or share an access code) before they add you to the account as an authorised representative. Once registered, you should be able to manage the account, change tariffs, make payments, and handle any disputes. Some companies have dedicated teams for handling LPA enquiries, which can make the process smoother.

Insurance policies are another area where attorneys frequently need to step in. Whether it is home insurance, car insurance, or a life insurance policy, the attorney can manage renewals, make claims, and update details on the donor’s behalf. The insurer will need to see the registered LPA before granting access, so it is worth notifying them early.

The Post Office can be particularly useful for attorneys who need to manage the donor’s mail or access Post Office-based savings accounts. You may also need to set up a mail redirection if the donor has moved into a care home. For practical tips on handling these situations, see our guides on using an LPA with utility companies, using an LPA at the Post Office, and LPAs and insurance policies.

LPA Access Codes and the Online Service

The OPG runs an online service called Use a lasting power of attorney, which allows attorneys and donors to generate access codes that can be shared with organisations. Instead of sending or showing the physical LPA document, you give the organisation a unique code that lets them verify your LPA online. The code is valid for 30 days and can be generated as many times as you need.

This is becoming an increasingly popular way to prove your authority. Many banks, building societies, and other organisations now accept access codes as an alternative to seeing the original document. It is faster, more convenient, and avoids the risk of the original LPA being lost in the post. The service is free to use and available to anyone whose LPA is registered with the OPG.

To use the service, you need to create an account on GOV.UK and add your registered LPA to it. You can then generate codes for specific organisations whenever you need them. Each code is tied to a particular LPA and allows the organisation to view a summary of the document, including who the attorneys are and what authority they have. It does not give them access to any other personal information.

Not every organisation is set up to accept access codes yet, so it is worth checking beforehand. For property transactions and certain legal processes, the original stamped document or a certified copy may still be required. For a full walkthrough of how the access code system works, see our guide on LPA access codes.

Can an LPA Be Used Abroad?

An LPA made under the laws of England and Wales is a domestic legal document. It is not automatically recognised in other countries, even within the UK — Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own separate systems. If the donor has property, bank accounts, or other assets in another country, a separate power of attorney may need to be arranged under that country’s local law.

That said, an LPA can be used to manage the donor’s UK-based affairs from overseas. If the attorney lives abroad, they can still act under the LPA for UK banks, UK property, and UK organisations — though some practical challenges may arise, such as needing to provide documents in person or dealing with time zone differences.

Some countries have reciprocal arrangements or may accept a foreign power of attorney in certain circumstances, but this varies widely. If cross-border issues are relevant to your situation, it is worth getting specialist legal advice. The Hague Convention on the International Protection of Adults (2000) provides a framework, but not all countries have signed up to it. For more detail, see our guide on whether an LPA can be used abroad.

What If an Organisation Refuses Your LPA?

It should not happen, but it does. Despite the legal requirement to accept a valid, registered LPA, some organisations — particularly smaller companies or staff who are unfamiliar with the process — may initially refuse to recognise it. If this happens, do not panic. There are clear steps you can take.

Start by asking for the refusal in writing. This is important because it creates a record that you can use if you need to escalate. Then follow the organisation’s formal complaints process. Most companies will resolve the issue once it reaches someone who understands the law around LPAs. If the complaint is not resolved to your satisfaction, you can escalate further depending on the type of organisation — the Financial Ombudsman Service for banks, the relevant industry ombudsman for utility companies, or the Office of the Public Guardian for general guidance.

The OPG has published guidance specifically aimed at organisations on how to accept and verify LPAs. If a company is genuinely confused rather than obstructive, pointing them towards this guidance can often resolve things quickly. In more serious cases, or where an organisation’s refusal is causing real harm, it may be worth seeking legal advice. An organisation that persistently refuses a valid LPA could be interfering with the attorney’s legal authority.

One common reason for refusal is that the document looks unfamiliar — particularly if the LPA was made using the older paper forms. Having an access code from the OPG’s online service can help here, as it gives the organisation a way to verify the LPA independently without needing to interpret the physical document themselves.

What If You Lose the LPA Documents?

Losing the original registered LPA can feel alarming, but it is not a disaster. The LPA itself remains valid — the registration is recorded by the OPG regardless of whether you still have the physical document. You can apply to the OPG for a replacement copy, which will carry the same legal weight as the original.

There is a fee for obtaining a replacement, and the process can take a few weeks. This is why it is so important to store the original LPA safely and to keep certified copies in separate locations. A solicitor, a bank safe deposit box, or a fireproof safe at home are all sensible options. You might also consider storing a copy with each attorney if there is more than one.

In the meantime, if you need to prove your authority urgently, the OPG’s online access code service can help. As long as the LPA is registered and linked to your online account, you can generate access codes for organisations even without the physical document. For a full guide on your options, see our page on what to do if you lose your LPA documents.

How LPAs Work Alongside Wills and Other Documents

An LPA is one of several important legal documents that people should consider as part of their planning for the future. It works alongside a will, but the two serve very different purposes. A will only takes effect after death, setting out how the person’s estate should be distributed. An LPA, by contrast, is specifically for decisions that need to be made during the person’s lifetime, while they are alive but unable to make those decisions themselves.

The two documents do not conflict, but they do complement each other. An attorney’s authority under the LPA ends when the donor dies. At that point, the executor named in the will takes over responsibility for the person’s affairs. If someone has an LPA but no will, their estate will be distributed according to the rules of intestacy, which may not reflect their wishes. Similarly, having a will but no LPA leaves a gap — if the person loses capacity during their lifetime, there is no one with legal authority to manage their affairs until the Court of Protection appoints a deputy, which is a much slower and more expensive process.

For people with business interests, an LPA can be structured to cover business decisions as well as personal finances. This is particularly important for sole traders, company directors, and partners in a business, where the inability to make decisions could have serious consequences for the business and for employees. The LPA should be drafted with business continuity in mind, and it is worth taking professional advice to make sure the wording is right.

There are also other documents that sit alongside an LPA, including advance decisions (sometimes called living wills), which allow someone to refuse specific medical treatments in advance. An advance decision takes priority over an attorney’s authority for the treatments it covers, unless the Health and Welfare LPA was made after the advance decision and specifically gives the attorney power over those treatments. Understanding how these documents interact is important for anyone planning ahead. For more on these topics, see our guides on how LPAs work alongside wills, legal documents for later life, and whether an LPA can cover business decisions.

All Guides on Using Your LPA

We have detailed guides covering every common situation where an attorney needs to use an LPA in practice. Whether you are dealing with a bank, the NHS, a pension provider, or a property sale, there is a guide for your situation.

Common Questions About Using an LPA

This guide was last reviewed and updated on 11 April 2026. Information is based on current legislation and OPG guidance for England and Wales.

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