How to choose a certificate provider
Guidance from Estate Advisory Group
Written and legally reviewed by Ramani Gill TEP, Solicitor and private client practitioner·Last reviewed 13 August 2026
One independent person, one conversation, one signature — and one of the most common reasons LPAs get rejected.
Two eligible routes
| Route | Who qualifies | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| Known personally | Someone who has known you well for at least two years, other than as a relative | Free |
| Professional skills | GP, solicitor, social worker or similar | £0–£150 |
Who cannot do it
- Any of your attorneys or replacement attorneys.
- Your family members, or family of your attorneys.
- Your business partner or paid employee.
- An owner, manager or employee of a care home you live in, or their family.
What they actually do
- Speak with you privately, without your attorneys present.
- Confirm you understand what the LPA does and that you are not being pressured.
- Sign the certificate section after you sign, and before your attorneys sign.
Order matters
Certificate providers who sign out of sequence are a leading cause of rejection. See LPA signing order.
Common questions
Will my GP do it?
Some will, often for a fee, and some decline as it is not an NHS service. A trusted long-standing friend or neighbour is free and equally valid.
Can one person certify both LPAs?
Yes, but they must sign each form separately.
Read next
Where this fits
This page is part of Attorneys and certificate providers. The pages below take it further.
- Make an LPA online
The whole journey end to end: questions, documents, signing and registration.
- The LPA forms explained
LP1F, LP1H and LP3 — what each section asks and where people go wrong.
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
Making your own LPA?
Name your attorneys, set how they must decide together, and we prepare the forms for £49.
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