LPAs after a terminal diagnosis
Guidance from Estate Advisory Group
Written and legally reviewed by Ramani Gill TEP, Solicitor and private client practitioner·Last reviewed 13 August 2026
Time is the constraint. Both types of LPA matter, and the paperwork can be done in a single sitting.
Priorities in order
- Health & Welfare LPA, including the life-sustaining treatment option if that reflects your wishes.
- Property & Financial Affairs LPA so bills and benefits continue to be handled.
- A will, if there is not one already, or an update to it.
- An advance statement recording preferences about care and place of death.
Speed and registration
Registration involves a statutory waiting period and OPG processing, so it takes weeks rather than days. If there are urgent reasons, explain them when you apply — the OPG can sometimes prioritise a case. An unregistered LPA cannot be used, which is why applying immediately matters.
The LPA ends at death
Attorneys cannot deal with the estate. That is the executor's job under the will.
Fee help
The £92 OPG fee per LPA can be halved or waived on income grounds or if you receive certain benefits. See fee exemption and remission. Our fee is £49 for one LPA or £79 for both.
Common questions
Should I make an advance decision as well?
Often yes, for specific treatment refusals. Date it carefully so it is clear how it interacts with the LPA. See advance decision vs LPA.
Can my attorney arrange my funeral?
No — authority ends at death and funeral arrangements fall to the executors or next of kin.
Read next
Where this fits
This page is part of Parents, couples and capacity. The pages below take it further.
- Make an LPA online
The whole journey end to end: questions, documents, signing and registration.
- What an LPA costs in 2026
Our £49 and £79 prices, the £92 OPG registration fee, and solicitor comparisons.
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
Helping a parent or partner?
They make the decisions and sign, you can do all the paperwork. Start with the free capacity check.
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