Health vs financial LPA
The biggest difference is when they can be used. A financial LPA can be used while the donor still has capacity if they allow it. A health LPA can only ever be used once capacity for that specific decision has gone. Everything else — eligibility, cost, registration — follows from that one distinction.
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.
Side by side
| LP1F — money | LP1H — health | |
|---|---|---|
| Usable with capacity | Yes, if the donor chooses | Never |
| Bankrupt attorney allowed | No | Yes |
| Life-sustaining treatment choice | Not applicable | Required (Option A or B) |
| Typical first use | Banking and bills | A hospital or care decision |
| Who asks to see it | Banks, pension providers, HMRC | GPs, hospitals, care homes |
| OPG registration fee | £92 | £92 |
The bankruptcy rule surprises people. Someone who is bankrupt cannot be a financial attorney because they would be managing money while legally restricted with their own, but there is no such bar on a health and welfare attorney, since that role involves no money management at all.
Why the timing rule exists
A financial LPA can be set up so attorneys can act immediately, even while the donor is fully capable — useful if illness, travel, or simply inconvenience makes it easier for someone else to handle a transaction. A health LPA has no equivalent, because the law does not allow anyone else to make a decision about someone's medical treatment or welfare while that person can still make it themselves. The donor keeps that authority for as long as they have capacity for the particular decision in front of them, however the LPA is worded.
One choice only the health LPA asks
Section 5 of the LP1H asks whether attorneys may give or refuse consent to life-sustaining treatment. It must be answered, and it is the most significant decision in either document. We explain both options and leave the choice entirely with the donor — this is not something we advise on, and it should be discussed with people the donor trusts, and where helpful, a GP.
This sits alongside, not instead of, an advance decision
A separate advance decision to refuse treatment is a different legal document dealing with specific treatments in specific circumstances. It is not something we prepare, but it can exist alongside an LP1H.
A worked example: one attorney, two roles
Anne appoints her husband Geoff as attorney on both LPAs. On the LP1F, she ticks the box allowing Geoff to use it straight away, so he can already act for her on a joint investment while she is simply away on a long cruise. On the LP1H, that option does not exist — Geoff can only ever step in on health and welfare matters once a doctor confirms Anne cannot make that particular decision herself.
Common questions
Can the same person be attorney on both?
Yes, and it is common for a spouse or one adult child to take both roles, though some families split them deliberately — see the table on make both LPAs online.
Does the health LPA let an attorney overrule a doctor?
No. Attorneys make the decision the donor would have made, in discussion with clinicians, but clinicians retain their own professional and legal duties.
What if I don't want to decide on life-sustaining treatment now?
The question must be answered on the form, but take the time you need to discuss it before signing — it is not something to rush.
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.