What Happens After Your LPA Is Registered?

Written by James Tyrrell · Reviewed by Anthony Dalton · Last reviewed 16 March 2026

After registering your LPA with the OPG, paying the £92 fee and waiting for the Office of the Public Guardian to process your application, you will receive your registered Lasting Power of Attorney back in the post. Many people breathe a sigh of relief at this point and put the document in a drawer, but there are several important steps you should take to make sure the LPA works smoothly when it is actually needed.

What the OPG Sends Back to You

Once the OPG has successfully registered your LPA, they will return the original document to you by post. The document will be stamped on every page with an official registration stamp that includes the date of registration and a unique reference number. This stamp confirms that the LPA is legally valid and ready to be used.

You should check the returned document carefully for:

• The OPG registration stamp on each page
• The correct names and addresses of the donor and all attorneys
• Any preferences or instructions you included
• That the type of LPA (Property and Financial Affairs or Health and Welfare) is correct

If you notice any errors, contact the OPG as soon as possible. Minor administrative errors can sometimes be corrected without needing to create an entirely new LPA, but this depends on the nature of the mistake.

Where to Store Your Registered LPA

Your registered LPA is an important legal document and should be stored securely. A fireproof safe at home, a solicitor's document storage service, or a bank safe deposit box are all suitable options. You should also make several certified copies — these are photocopies that have been signed and dated to confirm they are true copies of the original.

Certified copies can be made by the donor, an attorney, or a solicitor. They carry almost the same weight as the original and can be used when dealing with banks and other organisations, so you do not need to send the original through the post.

Register the LPA With Banks and Financial Institutions Early

This is one of the most valuable things you can do after registration: notify your banks, building societies, pension providers, and investment companies that an LPA is in place. Do not wait until the LPA needs to be used — registering it now means the institution already has a record of it, which significantly speeds things up if your attorneys ever need to act.

Each institution has its own process, but typically you will need to:

• Send a certified copy of the LPA by post, or attend a branch in person
• Complete the institution's own registration or third-party authority form
• Provide identification for the attorney(s) in some cases
• Wait for written confirmation that the LPA has been noted on your account

Tell Your Attorneys and Family Where the LPA Is

A registered LPA is useless if nobody knows it exists or where to find it. Make sure your attorneys know the LPA has been registered and understand what is expected of them. Have an open conversation about your wishes, preferences, and any instructions you included in the document. The more they understand about your values and priorities, the better equipped they will be to make decisions on your behalf.

You should discuss:

• Where the original LPA and certified copies are stored
• Which financial accounts and institutions are involved
• Your views on medical treatment, care preferences, and end-of-life wishes (for a Health and Welfare LPA)
• Whether attorneys should act jointly (all together), jointly and severally (independently), or jointly for some decisions and severally for others
• Any restrictions or conditions you have placed on their authority

Even family members who are not named as attorneys should be told that the LPA exists and who the attorneys are. This helps avoid confusion and potential disputes if you lose capacity unexpectedly.

When and How Attorneys Use the LPA

How and when your attorneys can use the LPA depends on which type you have created:

A Property and Financial Affairs LPA can be used immediately after registration, even while you still have full mental capacity. This is useful if you want an attorney to help manage your finances because you are physically unwell, travelling, or simply prefer the assistance. However, if you still have capacity, the attorney must have your consent before acting.

A Health and Welfare LPA can only be used once you lack the mental capacity to make the specific decision in question. Your attorneys cannot override your wishes while you are still able to make your own healthcare decisions. Capacity is assessed on a decision-by-decision basis under the Mental Capacity Act 2005, so you may have capacity for some decisions but not others.

When an attorney needs to act, they will typically present the registered LPA (or a certified copy) to the relevant organisation. Increasingly, they can also use the OPG's digital "Use an LPA" service to generate an access code that allows organisations to verify the LPA online.

The OPG "Use an LPA" Digital Verification Service

The OPG provides a free online service at use-lasting-power-of-attorney.service.gov.uk that makes it easier for attorneys to share the LPA with organisations. Instead of posting certified copies, you or your attorney can create a unique access code and share it with a bank, care provider, or other organisation. They then use the code to view and verify the LPA details online.

Benefits of the online service include:

• No need to post original documents or certified copies
• Organisations can verify the LPA instantly
• Access codes are time-limited (30 days) and organisation-specific for security
• Both the donor and attorneys can create codes while the donor has capacity

Review Your LPA Periodically

Once registered, an LPA remains valid indefinitely unless it is formally cancelled (revoked) by the donor or terminated by the court. However, your circumstances may change over time, and it is worth reviewing your LPA every few years to make sure it still reflects your wishes.

Consider reviewing your LPA if:

• An attorney dies, becomes incapacitated, or you no longer trust them
• You get married or divorced (marriage does not automatically revoke an LPA, but divorce can affect the appointment of an ex-spouse as attorney)
• Your financial circumstances change significantly
• Your views on healthcare or end-of-life treatment change
• You move to a different country (an LPA only covers England and Wales)

If you need to make changes, you will generally need to revoke the existing LPA and create a new one. Minor changes such as an attorney's change of address can be notified to the OPG without creating a new document.

Your Questions Answered

This guide was last reviewed and updated on 16 March 2026. Information is based on current legislation and OPG guidance for England and Wales.

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