DATA-BACKED GUIDE · UPDATED JULY 2026
How much does a lasting power of attorney cost in the UK?
A lasting power of attorney lets someone you trust make decisions for you if you lose the ability to do so yourself, and what it costs depends almost entirely on whether you do the paperwork yourself or pay a solicitor to handle it. There are two separate LPAs, one for health and welfare and one for property and financial affairs, and each carries its own registration fee paid to the Office of the Public Guardian on top of anything a solicitor charges. The real prices on this page show what people paid across both routes, from the DIY government service through to full solicitor-drafted packages. This is general information, not legal advice.
The quick version
- There are two separate LPAs, one for health and welfare and one for property and financial affairs, and each has its own registration fee, so setting up both costs more than one.
- The registration fee goes to the Office of the Public Guardian and is completely separate from anything a solicitor charges to draft or check the paperwork.
- You can apply yourself through the government service and pay only the registration fee, or pay a solicitor and cover both the registration fee and their charge.
- A reduced fee or full exemption from the OPG is available if you are on a low income or receive certain benefits, so the government part of the bill is not the same for everyone.
- Many people set up an LPA at the same time as a will, and some firms price the two together for less than doing each separately.
- For a couple doing both LPA types each, that is four separate registrations, so ask whether a joint or family price is available before you book anything.
What people actually paid
Where these 10 prices come from — 6 named sources
- dicksonssolicitors.co.uk
- farewill.com
- kewlaw.co.uk
- hrjforemanlaws.co.uk
- collinshoy.com
- forums.moneysavingexpert.com
Each is a published price list, an official survey, or a receipt/quote a reader shared. The full per-price list with year and area is on the power of attorney page.
The gap: advertised vs actually paid (medians)
People reported paying 52% more than the advertised list price for power of attorney.
List prices are advertised prices; paid figures are what people reported, often for different cases and from a small sample so far. Treat the gap as a signal, not a quote.
Real prices, in people's own words
- £1,000“shes paid 1000 pounds to a solicitor to sort this out”
Genuine amounts posted publicly. We publish the price and the quote, never the person.
Why the price varies so much
The single biggest driver of cost is the route you take. Go through the official government service yourself and you only ever pay the OPG registration fee. Bring in a solicitor and you pay that same registration fee on top of their charge for drafting and checking the forms, which is where most of the price difference in the real prices on this page comes from. How many documents you need matters just as much: a couple setting up both the property and welfare LPAs is really registering four separate documents, not one, and each carries its own fee. Who is doing the drafting also plays a part. A solicitor acting as your certificate provider, or advising on something more complicated like business assets or a second property, will charge more than a straightforward personal LPA. Where you live and which firm you use affects the solicitor side too, since firms set their own rates and some price LPAs as a fixed package while others quote hourly. The registration fee itself is fixed by the OPG regardless of who you use, but the exemptions and reductions for low income or certain benefits mean the government portion of the bill genuinely differs from one applicant to the next.
How to pay less
- Apply through the official government service yourself if your situation is straightforward, so you pay only the OPG registration fee and nothing for drafting.
- Check whether you qualify for a reduced or fully waived registration fee based on your income or the benefits you receive before you pay anything.
- If you do want a solicitor, ask for a fixed fee up front rather than an hourly rate, and ask whether setting up both LPA types together costs less than doing them one at a time.
- Set up your LPA at the same time as your will if you are already planning ahead, since a bundled price often works out lower than buying each document separately.
- If you are doing this as a couple, ask specifically about a joint or family package that covers all four LPAs rather than accepting two individual quotes added together.
- Get more than one solicitor quote before committing. The registration fee is fixed by government, so any real saving comes from shopping around on the drafting side.
Common questions
Can I set up a power of attorney without a solicitor?
Yes. The government service lets you fill in and register an LPA yourself, and in that case you only pay the registration fee to the Office of the Public Guardian. A solicitor adds cost on top of that fee but can be worth it if your finances are complicated or you want confidence that the forms are filled in correctly. This is general guidance, not legal advice.
What is the OPG fee and is it separate from solicitor fees?
The Office of the Public Guardian charges a registration fee for each LPA you register, and that charge is fixed by government regardless of how the document was prepared. It sits separately from any fee a solicitor charges to draft or check the paperwork, so if you use a solicitor you are paying both amounts. People on a low income or receiving certain benefits can apply to have the OPG fee reduced or waived entirely.
Do I need both types of LPA, and does that mean double the cost?
The two types cover different things. One deals with property and financial affairs, the other with health and welfare decisions if you cannot make them yourself. Many people set up both so every situation is covered, but you can register just one if that is all you need. Each is registered and charged separately, so yes, doing both roughly doubles the registration fee, though a solicitor may charge less per document if you set them up together rather than at separate times.
Is it cheaper to do an LPA alongside a will?
Often, yes. Several firms price a will and an LPA as a combined package, which can work out lower than paying for each on its own, especially if you are also doing both LPA types. If you already know you want a will drawn up, it is worth asking any solicitor you contact for a joint quote before you commit to either document separately.
Can two people share the cost if they set up LPAs together as a couple?
The OPG registration fee is charged per document, so there is no discount there even as a couple. Where the saving comes in is on the solicitor's side: many firms will quote a joint or family price for drafting multiple LPAs together rather than charging each person the full individual rate, so it is worth asking about this specifically rather than accepting separate quotes added up.
Will using a solicitor guarantee a lower total cost than expected?
Not necessarily. A solicitor adds a drafting fee on top of the fixed OPG registration fee, and that drafting fee varies by firm and by how complicated your situation is. The real prices on this page show a real spread between the DIY route and solicitor-assisted setups, so the only way to know your likely total is to check whether you qualify for a reduced OPG fee first, then get a fixed-fee quote from a solicitor if you decide you want one.