LP1F explained, section by section
Guidance from Estate Advisory Group
Written and legally reviewed by Ramani Gill TEP, Solicitor and private client practitioner·Last reviewed 13 August 2026
LP1F runs to around twenty pages. Most of it is guidance; the parts that go wrong are few and predictable.
The sections that matter
| Section | What it does | Common error |
|---|---|---|
| 1 — Donor | Your details | Name not matching legal name; wrong date of birth |
| 2 — Attorneys | Who you appoint | Missing dates of birth; nicknames |
| 3 — How they act | Jointly or jointly and severally | Left blank, or hybrid wording that contradicts itself |
| 4 — Replacements | Backup attorneys | Ordering wording the OPG rejects |
| 5 — When it can be used | Now, or only on loss of capacity | Not ticked |
| 6 — People to notify | Optional notices | Named but LP3 never sent |
| 7 — Preferences & instructions | Your wishes and rules | Instructions that are unlawful or vague |
| 9–11 — Signatures | Donor, certificate provider, attorneys | Dates in the wrong order |
| 15 — Applicant & fee | Who registers and pays | Fee reduction claimed without evidence |
The 'when it can be used' choice
Unique to LP1F: you choose whether attorneys can act as soon as it is registered (with your consent) or only once you lack capacity. Acting now is convenient if you would like help with banking while still capable; the restricted option gives a harder line.
Worked example: filling in the appointment sections
Margaret, 68, is completing LP1F to cover her savings, her flat and her small pension. In section 2 she appoints her son Paul and her daughter Kate. In section 3 she chooses 'jointly and severally', so either can act alone for everyday banking, but she adds an instruction that both must sign for the sale of her flat. In section 4 she names her niece Sophie as a replacement, in case Paul or Kate can no longer act. In section 5 she ticks the option letting Paul and Kate use the LPA as soon as it is registered, because she would like help with online banking now that her eyesight has worsened. None of this needs a solicitor, but every box has to agree with every other box — a replacement listed above the wrong ordering wording, or an instruction that clashes with 'jointly and severally', is exactly the kind of contradiction the OPG returns.
How we handle it
You never see the form while you answer. We ask plain questions, run eligibility checks on your attorneys and certificate provider, check the whole document for contradictions, and then produce the official-format LP1F with your answers in the right boxes. Read more about the financial LPA and see how it compares with the health and welfare LPA if you are deciding whether you need one form or two.
Checked, not guaranteed
We check the LP1F for the completion errors described on this page before you print it. No service can guarantee OPG registration, because the OPG makes its own decision on each application.
Section 15: the applicant and the fee
| Applicant | What it means |
|---|---|
| Donor applies | Simplest route; the donor pays and receives the registered LPA |
| Attorney applies | Useful if the donor's capacity is already declining |
| Fee reduction claimed | Form LPA120 and evidence of income or benefits must be enclosed |
The current fee is £92 per LPA, so a donor registering both a financial and a health LPA at the same time pays £184 unless a reduction or exemption applies. Getting this section right avoids the application stalling while the OPG asks for the evidence separately.
Common questions
Do I need to print it double-sided?
The OPG accepts single-sided printing. What matters is that every page is present, in order, and unaltered. Our pack tells you exactly what to print.
Can I handwrite corrections?
Minor corrections initialled by the donor are sometimes accepted, but anything touching names, dates or signatures usually means reprinting.
Can I list more than four attorneys?
Yes, using continuation sheet 1, but check the continuation sheets guide first — most people find two or three attorneys plenty.
What if I want different powers for different attorneys?
LP1F does not support split powers between attorneys on one form. If you want a genuine split, you generally need separate LPAs or careful instruction wording checked for workability.
Read next
Where this fits
This page is part of Forms, wording and signing. The pages below take it further.
- The LPA forms explained
LP1F, LP1H and LP3 — what each section asks and where people go wrong.
- 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
Skip the blank forms
We ask plain-English questions and prepare the LP1F or LP1H wording from your answers, checked for common completion errors.
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