How to Set Up Power of Attorney for an Elderly Parent in the UK

Of all the practical things on a carer's list, this is the one people most often put off — and most often wish they'd done sooner. Setting up power of attorney can feel like a big, slightly morbid step. But done early, it's actually one of the kindest and most freeing things you can sort out, for your parent and for you.

Here's how it works, in plain English.

What power of attorney actually does

A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a legal document where your parent (the "donor") chooses someone they trust (the "attorney" — that could be you) to help make decisions, or make decisions on their behalf, if they're no longer able to.

Without one, families hit a wall they don't see coming. If your parent loses the ability to make decisions and there's no LPA in place, you can't simply step in to manage their bank account, pay their bills, or make care decisions — even as their child. You'd have to apply to the Court of Protection to become a "deputy," which is slow (often months), far more expensive, and involves ongoing supervision. More on that below.

The two types — and most people need both

There are two separate LPAs, covering different decisions:

1. Property and financial affairs — paying bills, managing the bank account and pension, and dealing with or selling the home. This one can be used as soon as it's registered (with your parent's permission), which is handy if they just want help.
2. Health and welfare — decisions about medical care, day-to-day routine, and where your parent lives. This one can only be used once your parent is no longer able to make these decisions themselves.

They're separate documents, with separate rules, and one does not cover the other. Most families set up both.

The one rule that matters more than any other

Your parent can only make an LPA while they still have mental capacity — meaning they understand what they're doing and can make the decision themselves.

This is the bit that catches people out. Once capacity is lost, it's too late to set up an LPA at all, and you're into the slower, costlier Court of Protection route instead. So if there's any early sign of memory or thinking difficulties, this moves up the priority list rather than down it. (If you're unsure what those early signs look like, here's our guide on dementia versus normal ageing.)

The takeaway: an LPA is something to sort out while everything is fine, not when there's a crisis. Like insurance, the time to have it is before you need it.

What it costs

In England and Wales, you register each LPA with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG), and the registration fee is £92 per LPA — so £184 for both.

If cost is a barrier, there's help:

• If your parent's gross income is under £12,000 a year, they can apply for a 50% reduction (£46 per LPA).
• If they receive certain means-tested benefits, they may pay nothing at all.

You can use a solicitor, which typically adds a few hundred pounds per document, but many families complete the forms themselves — the process is designed to be doable without one. A solicitor is most worth considering if there are complications, like blended families, business interests, or any chance the LPA could later be disputed.

Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own equivalent systems and forms, so check the rules for where your parent lives.

How to set one up, step by step

1. Talk to your parent. This is their decision and their document. A gentle framing helps: it's about making sure their wishes are followed, by people they choose.
2. Choose the attorney(s). Often an adult child, sometimes more than one. You can appoint several and decide whether they act "jointly" or "jointly and severally" (separately) — the latter is usually more practical.
3. Fill in the forms. Online through GOV.UK or on paper. You'll name the attorneys, any replacements, and a "certificate provider" who confirms your parent understands what they're signing.
4. Sign in the right order. The forms must be signed by everyone in the correct sequence, or the OPG will reject them — this is the most common reason for delays, so take your time here.
5. Register with the OPG. Until it's registered, it can't be used.

You can make and register both types through the official GOV.UK lasting power of attorney service, and Age UK's power of attorney guide is a clear, trustworthy walkthrough if you'd like to read more first.

Registration currently takes a number of weeks — often around 8 to 20 — so don't leave it until you need it in a hurry.

What happens if you've left it too late

If your parent has already lost capacity, you can't make an LPA, but you're not stuck. You apply to the Court of Protection to become a deputy. It works, but it's a fair bit harder: the application fee alone is several hundred pounds (and you'd apply twice to cover both finance and welfare decisions), it can take several months, and deputies are supervised with ongoing fees.

It's the safety net, but it's exactly the slow, costly route that having an LPA in place avoids. Which is the whole argument for doing it early.

Why this one's worth doing now

Once an LPA is in place, so much else becomes easier — managing benefits, dealing with the bank, handling care arrangements, talking to the council about care home funding. It's the legal backbone that lets you actually help.

If you're working out the right order to tackle everything — LPA, benefits, care options — that's the kind of thing Carewise is designed to help you plan, around your parent's specific situation, with a real specialist on hand for the bigger decisions. You can try it free here.

It's an awkward conversation to start, but families almost universally feel relief once it's done. It's a quiet act of care — and future-you will be very glad it's sorted.

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This guide is general information for England and Wales, accurate as of June 2026, and isn't legal advice. Rules differ in Scotland and Northern Ireland. For complex circumstances, consider a solicitor — the Law Society and the Association of Lifetime Lawyers can help you find one.