How to set up an LPA for a parent
Six practical steps, spread over a couple of weeks in most families: the conversation, the check, the decisions, the form, the signing, and the registration.
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.
Is an LPA still possible for your relative?
Only the person themselves can make an LPA, and only while they have mental capacity. Start here.
They have capacity and want to make one
You can help with every part of the paperwork. They make the decisions and sign.
You are not sure whether they have capacity
Capacity is decision-specific and a diagnosis alone does not settle it. Read how it is judged before you spend anything.
They have already lost capacity
An LPA can no longer be made — not by us and not by anyone else. The route is a deputyship application to the Court of Protection.
The sequence
- The conversation — who they would want deciding, and for what.
- Choose your LPA — one LPA or both, no account needed to start.
- The decisions — type of LPA, attorneys, replacements, how they act together.
- The form — about twenty minutes per LPA, saved as you go.
- The signing — donor, then certificate provider, then attorneys, each witnessed.
- Registration — post to the OPG with £92 per document and wait.
What holds families up
- Finding a certificate provider — start looking early; a long-standing neighbour, friend or GP usually works.
- Getting all attorneys in one place to sign — they can sign on different days, but only after the certificate provider.
- Deciding between siblings — settle it before you open the form.
What it costs, laid out plainly
| Item | Cost | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| One LPA | £49 | Us |
| Both LPAs for one person | £79 | Us |
| Registration, per document | £92 | Office of the Public Guardian |
| One parent, both types, all in | £263 | £79 + £184 |
Compare this against solicitor pricing at LPA cost and our approach versus a solicitor.
Who signs what, and in which order
The signing order is fixed and matters: the donor signs first, then the certificate provider, then each attorney and replacement attorney in turn. Signing out of order can mean the OPG rejects the form and it has to be re-signed, so it is worth checking this before the appointment rather than after.
| Step | Who signs | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The donor (your parent) | Witnessed by an independent adult |
| 2 | The certificate provider | Confirms the donor understands and is not under pressure |
| 3 | Each attorney | Can sign on different days, but only after step 2 |
| 4 | Each replacement attorney | Same rule as attorneys |
Your parent must make the decisions
You can help fill in the form, arrange the certificate provider and post the paperwork, but the choice of attorneys, the instructions, and the signature must be your parent's own. You cannot sign on their behalf, even with their permission — an LPA signed by anyone other than the donor is not valid.
Common questions
How long does the whole thing take from start to finish?
The conversation and paperwork can be done in a couple of weeks. Registration with the OPG then takes longer — currently around 8 to 10 weeks, including a statutory 4-week waiting period before it can be registered.
Can I fill in the form and let my parent read it before signing?
Yes, and it is good practice. Work through the questions together so the wording reflects their own decisions, then let them read the completed document before the signing appointment.
What if my parent wants a solicitor involved?
That is their choice, and there is nothing wrong with it. Most straightforward LPAs do not need one — see do I need a solicitor and LPA cost for a full comparison.
Read next
Where this fits
This page is part of Parents, couples and capacity. The pages below take it further.
- Make an LPA online
The whole journey end to end: questions, documents, signing and registration.
- What an LPA costs in 2026
Our £49 and £79 prices, the £92 OPG registration fee, and solicitor comparisons.
Helping a parent or partner?
They make the decisions and sign, you can do all the paperwork. Start with the free capacity check.
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.