LPA checklist: what to gather before you start
Guidance from Estate Advisory Group
Written and legally reviewed by Ramani Gill TEP, Solicitor and private client practitioner·Last reviewed 13 August 2026
Most people stall halfway through because they are missing a postcode or a date of birth. Ten minutes of preparation avoids it.
Details you will be asked for
- Your full legal name, date of birth and address.
- Each attorney's full name, date of birth and address — spelled exactly as on their ID.
- Any replacement attorneys' details.
- Your certificate provider's name and address.
- Names and addresses of anyone you want to notify (optional).
- The names of people who can witness signatures.
Decisions to make in advance
- Which LPA or LPAs you are making.
- Whether attorneys act jointly or jointly and severally.
- For a Health & Welfare LPA, whether attorneys can decide about life-sustaining treatment.
- Whether you want any preferences or instructions.
Who cannot fill certain roles
Keep the roles separate
An attorney cannot be your certificate provider, and an attorney cannot witness the donor's signature. Line up one extra neutral person before signing day.
Check the detail in who can be an attorney and what is a certificate provider.
Common questions
Do I need documents or ID to make an LPA?
No documents are submitted with the forms. You need accurate details, correct signatures in the right order, and the right people in each role.
Can I save and come back?
Yes — our questions save as you go, so you can stop and gather a missing address without losing anything.
Read next
Where this fits
This page is part of LPA basics. The pages below take it further.
- Make an LPA online
The whole journey end to end: questions, documents, signing and registration.
- Solicitor, GOV.UK or online?
An honest comparison, including when you genuinely should pay a solicitor.
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?
Answer five quick questions to check the service suits you, 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