Do I need both types of LPA?
Most people do. The two documents cover completely separate ground and neither can be stretched to cover the other. The main exception is someone with almost no assets, where the health LPA matters far more than the financial one. If you are unsure, the eligibility check walks through your situation in a few minutes.
Make your LPA online for £49
Answer simple questions. We prepare your LPA documents from your answers, ready for the next steps.
- £49 per LPA, or £79 for both types
- No solicitor required for straightforward LPAs
- Plain English questions, one screen at a time
- Save your progress and come back to it
- Checked for common completion errors as you go
- Review everything before you pay
The Office of the Public Guardian charges a separate £92 to register each LPA.
A simple decision framework
Ask three questions. First, does the donor own property, hold savings, or receive income that someone else might need to manage — if yes, the financial LPA (LP1F) is needed. Second, could the donor ever need help with a decision about care, treatment or where they live — if yes, the health LPA (LP1H) is needed. Third, would waiting to make the second one later be a real risk to capacity — if yes, make both now rather than staggering them.
For almost everyone over about 55, or anyone with a diagnosis that could progress, all three questions point the same way: make both. The narrower question — which one first, if only one is affordable or urgent right now — is covered on can I make just one LPA.
What happens if you only make one
| You made | The gap |
|---|---|
| LP1F only | No authority over care, treatment or where the donor lives. Doctors and social workers decide in the donor's best interests instead. |
| LP1H only | No access to the bank. Nobody can pay the donor's bills, and a Court of Protection deputyship may be needed for money. |
Neither gap is theoretical. Banks freeze accounts on the death or incapacity of the account holder without a registered financial LPA in place, and NHS or care staff cannot take instructions from a relative who has no legal standing, however close the relationship.
When one is genuinely enough
- The donor has no property, no savings and only benefit income — the financial LPA has little to manage.
- The donor's finances are already jointly held and simple, though joint accounts can still be frozen in practice.
- There is already a registered financial LPA, and only the health document is missing.
Worked example
Tom, 81, lives in rented sheltered housing on a state pension and pension credit, with no savings and a joint account with his daughter for the rent. His daughter reasonably decides the health LPA matters more to him than the financial one, and makes that alone for £49. If Tom later inherits money or needs to sell an asset, the financial LPA can still be added while he has capacity.
The cost of the two approaches
| Approach | Our fee | OPG fee | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Both now | £79 | £184 | £263 |
| One now | £49 | £92 | £141 |
| One now, one added later | £49 then £49 | £92 then £92 | £282 across two occasions |
Doing both together is cheaper overall than doing them separately, purely because our combined fee is discounted. See pricing for the current fees and how it works for the steps involved.
Common questions
If I can only afford one right now, which should it be?
Usually the financial LPA, because money problems tend to arise sooner and more often than a sudden loss of capacity for health decisions. See can I make just one LPA.
Does making one now stop me making the other later?
No, provided the donor still has capacity when the second one is made. If capacity has been lost in the meantime, it cannot be added — see what happens if capacity is already lost.
Do both LPAs need the same attorneys?
No. You can choose different people for each, and many families do — see the guide on this below.
Read next
Where this fits
This page is part of Choosing which LPA you need. The pages below take it further.
- Property & Financial Affairs LPA
The LP1F: money, bills, savings, property and everything a bank will ask for.
- Health & Welfare LPA
The LP1H: care, treatment decisions and life-sustaining treatment.
- What an LPA costs in 2026
Our £49 and £79 prices, the £92 OPG registration fee, and solicitor comparisons.
Most people make both LPAs
Property & Financial Affairs and Health & Welfare together cost £79 instead of £98 separately.
The Office of the Public Guardian charges a separate £92 to register each LPA.
This is general information about Lasting Powers of Attorney in England and Wales. We are not a law firm and this is not legal advice about your situation. What we do and do not do.