LPA fee exemption and remission
Guidance from Estate Advisory Group
Written and legally reviewed by Ramani Gill TEP, Solicitor and private client practitioner·Last reviewed 13 August 2026
Low income or certain means-tested benefits can cut the £92 fee in half or remove it entirely. The test is about the donor's finances, not the attorney's.
Exemption: no fee at all
If the donor receives certain means-tested benefits, the fee is waived. These typically include Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit, and Housing Benefit. Some benefits — notably Attendance Allowance, PIP and contribution-based benefits — do not qualify.
Remission: half fee
If the donor's gross annual income is below £12,000 the fee is reduced by 50%, to £46 per LPA. Income means before tax, from all sources including pensions, employment and rent — but not means-tested benefits.
How to claim
- Complete form LPA120 and send it with the LPA.
- Enclose evidence: a benefit award letter, or income evidence such as P60, pension statements or payslips.
- Do not send the fee at the same time as claiming exemption.
Evidence is not optional
Claiming a reduction without proof is a common reason applications are returned. Send copies, keep the originals, and confirm the current qualifying benefits on GOV.UK before you post.
Worked example
Frank, a retired widower, receives Guarantee Credit as part of Pension Credit. He is making a property and finance LPA appointing his daughter Beth. Beth prepares the forms using our £49 service, then sends form LPA120 together with a copy of Frank's Pension Credit award letter alongside the signed LPA. No £92 fee is enclosed. The OPG confirms the exemption and registers the LPA at no cost. Had Frank instead had a private pension pushing his gross income to £15,000 a year with no qualifying benefit, he would not have qualified for either the exemption or the 50% remission, and the full £92 would have been due.
Getting it wrong
Two mistakes account for most delays here: claiming an exemption on the wrong benefit — Attendance Allowance and Personal Independence Payment are commonly assumed to qualify but do not — and sending the fee cheque alongside an exemption claim, which confuses processing and can slow things down. If you are unsure whether the donor qualifies, it is safer to check the current list on GOV.UK before submitting than to guess.
Household income and couples
| Situation | Likely outcome |
|---|---|
| Donor receives Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit) | Fee exempt — £0 |
| Donor's gross income under £12,000, no qualifying benefit | 50% remission — £46 |
| Donor receives only Attendance Allowance or PIP | No automatic reduction — full £92 |
| Married couple, one qualifies and one does not | Each assessed separately on their own LPA |
Why the OPG makes this distinction
The logic behind exemption and remission is straightforward: the fee should not be the reason someone goes without legal protection for their finances or care decisions. It mirrors similar reductions used across other court and tribunal fees in England and Wales, and it is assessed independently for each donor, so a couple with very different financial circumstances can end up paying very different totals for otherwise identical paperwork.
If the donor's circumstances change between completing the LPA and registering it — for example, a partner's death shifts them onto Pension Credit — the claim is based on their position at the time the application is submitted, not when the forms were signed.
Keeping records
Keep a copy of whatever evidence you send with the LPA120, along with the date it was posted. If the OPG queries the claim, having the benefit award letter or income evidence to hand again saves a second round of correspondence and avoids the application being delayed further while you track it down.
Common questions
Whose income counts?
The donor's only. An attorney's income and savings are irrelevant to the claim.
Does the reduction apply to both LPAs?
Yes. If the donor qualifies, the reduction applies to each LPA being registered, so both can be half price or free.
Can I claim after I have already paid?
Contact the OPG directly — refunds after payment are handled case by case and are not guaranteed, so it is better to claim before you send the fee.
Does our service fee change if the donor is exempt?
No. Our £49/£79 charge is for preparing the documents and is separate from the OPG fee — see pricing. Only the government element can be reduced.
Read next
Where this fits
This page is part of LPA costs and fees. The pages below take it further.
- What an LPA costs in 2026
Our £49 and £79 prices, the £92 OPG registration fee, and solicitor comparisons.
- 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
See the full cost before you commit
£49 per LPA, £79 for both, plus the £92 the Office of the Public Guardian charges to register each one.
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