LPA Fee Exemption and Remission: How to Reduce the £92 Cost

The Standard Fee: £92 per LPA

The Office of the Public Guardian charges a flat £92 to register each Lasting Power of Attorney. Since most families need two documents — a Property and Financial Affairs LPA and a Health and Welfare LPA — the total registration cost is £184 for a complete pair, before any solicitor fees.

This fee increased from £82 to £92 on 17 November 2025, part of the OPG's digital modernisation programme funded by the Powers of Attorney Act 2023. The increase pays for enhanced identity verification and digital error-checking systems designed to reduce rejection rates.

Full Exemption: £0

You pay nothing if the donor receives any of these qualifying benefits at the time of application:

• Pension Credit — Guarantee Credit element (not Savings Credit alone)
• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)

To claim the exemption, complete form LPA120 (available bilingually in Welsh/English) and submit it with the LPA application. Include proof of benefit — a recent DWP letter confirming the qualifying benefit and the date it was awarded. Send the LPA120 to the OPG postal address: PO Box 16185, Birmingham, B2 2WH.

Full exemption saves £184 for a pair of LPAs — a meaningful amount for pensioners on fixed incomes.

50% Remission: £46 per LPA

If the donor does not receive a fully qualifying benefit but has a low income, they may qualify for a 50% reduction. The remission criteria since February 2026:

• Gross annual income before tax must be under £12,000

This is where the 2026 rule change matters. Before February 2026, receiving Universal Credit alone was enough to qualify for a fee reduction. That automatic link has been severed. Universal Credit recipients now go through the same income-based assessment as everyone else — if their gross annual income exceeds £12,000, they pay the full £92.

The change caught many families off guard. A donor receiving Universal Credit whose own gross annual income is £14,000 now pays full price, where a year ago they would have qualified automatically. If this applies to you, it is worth checking whether the donor (not the applicant's household, but the donor personally) qualifies on the individual income test.

How to Apply: The LPA120 Form

The LPA120 includes sections for personal details, the LPA application, benefit or income evidence, and a declaration. Key details:

1. One LPA120 can cover both LPAs in an application — if you are registering both a financial and health LPA together, identify both types on the form and include the donor's supporting benefit or income evidence
2. Submit with the LPA — the LPA120 goes in the same envelope as the signed LPA application and the £46 reduced fee or no cheque (if claiming full exemption)
3. Evidence required — a DWP benefit letter showing the qualifying benefit and award dates. Bank statements alone are not sufficient proof of benefit receipt
4. Timing — the evidence must cover the date you apply to register the LPA. A benefit received six months ago and since cancelled does not establish current entitlement

What If You Do Not Qualify?

If the donor's income is above £12,000 and they do not receive a qualifying benefit, the full £92 applies. If an application for help with fees is refused and you believe it should not have been, request a written review within 28 days of the outcome letter. If paying would cause financial hardship, you can make a hardship application.

However, the cost comparison remains stark. Two LPAs at £184 total — or a Court of Protection deputyship application at £432 in court fees alone, plus annual supervision fees of £320, plus a security bond, plus legal costs that routinely exceed £2,500. The LPA registration fee is the cheaper path by an order of magnitude, even at full price.

Our Wales LPA toolkit includes a fee exemption eligibility checker and step-by-step LPA120 guidance to make sure the form is completed correctly the first time — because a rejected exemption application delays the entire LPA registration.

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