Adding an attorney to a bank account
Guidance from Estate Advisory Group
Written and legally reviewed by Ramani Gill TEP, Solicitor and private client practitioner·Last reviewed 13 August 2026
Every bank has its own attorney team, its own form and its own waiting time. The paperwork is the same everywhere.
What every bank wants
- The registered LPA — the original, a certified copy or an OPG access code.
- Photographic identification and proof of address for every attorney.
- A completed attorney mandate form telling them how the account should operate.
- For joint attorneys, signatures or instructions from all of them.
How it usually goes
- Book an appointment with the branch's attorney service, or post the documents to the bank's LPA team.
- Expect two to six weeks for the account to be updated.
- Ask specifically for online and telephone banking access as attorney, and a debit card if you need one.
- Check what happens to any direct debits, overdraft and standing orders.
Worked example: Priya is registered as financial attorney for her father Ranjit, who has moved into residential care. She posts a certified copy of the LPA to his bank's specialist attorney team along with her passport and a recent council tax bill. The bank writes back within ten days asking her to visit a branch to verify her identity in person before it activates online access. Three weeks after her branch visit, Priya has telephone and online banking in her own name, showing Ranjit's account, so she can pay his care home invoices directly.
Comparing the ways to prove your authority
| Route | Speed | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Original registered LPA | Slowest — the bank holds or copies it | A single bank you deal with once |
| Certified copy | Fast — send to several providers at once | Multiple banks, insurers and utilities |
| OPG 'use an LPA' access code | Fast where the bank supports it | Larger banks with an online checking service |
Common snags
Do not sign as the donor
Sign in your own name and add "as attorney for [donor's name]". Using the donor's signature, or their card and PIN, is what triggers bank fraud investigations even when your intentions are good.
- Some banks restrict attorney online banking to viewing and payments to existing payees.
- Joint accounts sometimes need the other account holder to agree to new arrangements.
- Savings products with fixed terms may not allow an attorney to reinvest at maturity.
- Some smaller building societies still insist on a branch visit even where the bigger banks now allow postal registration.
If a bank pushes back
Occasionally a branch member of staff who has not dealt with an LPA before will ask for something the bank's own attorney policy does not require, such as a solicitor's letter or the donor's signature. Ask to be referred to the bank's dedicated bereavement or power of attorney team rather than arguing with the counter staff — every major bank has one, even if the branch does not know it. If a bank still refuses to recognise a validly registered LPA, you can complain formally and, if unresolved, refer the matter to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Common questions
Can I use the donor's existing online banking?
No. Even with permission it breaches the terms and looks like fraud. Get your own attorney access.
Do I need to register with every bank separately?
Yes, and with each provider — pensions, investments, insurers and utilities all need telling separately.
How many certified copies should I order?
Most attorneys need at least three or four — one for each bank and pension provider, plus a spare. See certified copies of an LPA.
What if the bank loses the original LPA?
This is rare but not unheard of. Send certified copies rather than the original wherever the bank will accept one, and ask for written confirmation of receipt.
Read next
Where this fits
This page is part of Money, tax and property. The pages below take it further.
- Property & Financial Affairs LPA
The LP1F: money, bills, savings, property and everything a bank will ask for.
- Make an LPA online
The whole journey end to end: questions, documents, signing and registration.
Review and sources
Reviewed by Ramani Gill TEP, Solicitor and private client practitioner. Last reviewed 13 August 2026. We recheck fees, forms and Office of the Public Guardian guidance whenever they change — see our editorial policy.
Official sources
Ready to make your LPA?
Choose one LPA or both, then start online for £49 per LPA.
The Office of the Public Guardian charges a separate £92 to register each LPA.
This is general information about how Lasting Powers of Attorney work in England and Wales. It is not legal advice about your situation. What we do and do not do.
Published by Estate Advisory Group