LPA vs ordinary power of attorney
Guidance from Estate Advisory Group
Written and legally reviewed by Ramani Gill TEP, Solicitor and private client practitioner·Last reviewed 13 August 2026
An ordinary power of attorney is a short-term tool for someone who can still make their own decisions. It stops working exactly when a family needs it most.
The critical difference
| Ordinary / general PoA | Lasting Power of Attorney | |
|---|---|---|
| Works after loss of capacity | No — it is automatically revoked | Yes, that is its purpose |
| Registration | None | Must be registered with the OPG |
| Cost | Little or nothing | £92 per LPA plus any preparation fee |
| Typical use | A trip abroad, a house sale, temporary illness | Long-term planning for dementia, stroke, injury |
When an ordinary PoA is the right tool
- You are abroad for six months and need someone to manage a property sale.
- You are recovering from surgery and want help with banking for a few weeks.
- You want a specific, limited task handled and you retain full capacity throughout.
Why families still need an LPA
It cannot be created later
An LPA can only be made while the donor understands it. Once capacity has gone, the only route is a Court of Protection deputyship — slower, more expensive and not your choice. See what happens without an LPA.
How an ordinary power of attorney is made
An ordinary power of attorney is a simple deed, usually one or two pages, that names the person you are appointing and the specific tasks they can do. It does not need a certificate provider, is not sent anywhere for approval, and takes effect the moment it is signed and witnessed. That simplicity is the whole point: it is meant for short, well-defined jobs, not for the uncertainty of future ill health.
Worked example
Priya is relocating to Dubai for an eight-month work contract and needs someone to complete the sale of her flat in Leeds while she is away. She signs an ordinary power of attorney appointing her brother, Arjun, to sign the completion documents and deal with her solicitor and the estate agent. It works well, because Priya has full capacity throughout and the task is narrow. It would not have helped at all if Priya's father, Deepak, had suffered a stroke that left him unable to manage his own bank account — for that, only a registered LPA (or, if too late, a deputyship order) would allow Arjun to act.
Limits on an ordinary power of attorney
- It automatically ends the instant the donor loses mental capacity — there is no way to keep it running.
- It cannot cover health and welfare decisions in any form.
- Banks and organisations are not obliged to accept it, and some insist on their own internal mandate instead.
- It offers none of the OPG oversight that comes with a registered LPA, so it relies entirely on trust.
Common questions
Can I have both?
Yes. An ordinary power of attorney can handle something immediate while your LPA is going through registration.
Will a bank accept an ordinary power of attorney?
Some will for limited purposes, but many are cautious and most will refuse once there is any doubt about the account holder's capacity.
Does an ordinary power of attorney need to be registered?
No. It is valid from signing and is never lodged with the Office of the Public Guardian. That is also why it carries no independent check on the attorney's conduct.
What happens if I keep using it after capacity is lost?
Legally the power has already ended, even if nobody has noticed. Any transactions made under it after that point are vulnerable to challenge, which is why families should move to an LPA well before capacity becomes an issue.
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?
Choose one LPA or both, 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