Where to store your LPA
Guidance from Estate Advisory Group
Written and legally reviewed by Ramani Gill TEP, Solicitor and private client practitioner·Last reviewed 13 August 2026
A registered LPA nobody can find is no better than one that was never made.
Where to keep the original
- At home in a labelled document folder with your will details — most practical.
- With a solicitor or bank for a fee — safe, but slower to retrieve.
- Never in a bank safe deposit box only accessible with your own signature.
Do not laminate it
Laminating or stapling a registered LPA can cause providers to question whether it has been altered.
Who should have a copy
- Each attorney — at minimum, a note of where the original is kept.
- Your GP practice, for a Health & Welfare LPA.
- Banks and providers, when the time comes, using certified copies.
The digital route
The OPG's use an LPA service lets you generate access codes so an organisation can view the LPA online instead of handling paper. Keep your OPG reference number with your records.
Common questions
What if the original is lost?
You can apply to the OPG for a replacement certified copy. Keep the case reference number, as it makes this much quicker.
Should my attorney keep the original?
Only if you are comfortable with that. Many donors keep it and tell attorneys exactly where it is.
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