LPA120 Fee Remission and Universal Credit

The February 2026 Rule Change

The OPG tightened its fee remission criteria on 2 February 2026. Before that date, receiving Universal Credit alone was enough to qualify for a 50% reduction in LPA registration fees. That automatic link is gone. Universal Credit claimants now face the same income threshold test as everyone else: a gross annual income below £12,000 to receive the 50% remission.

This change has a disproportionate impact on working-age families. Many Universal Credit recipients have gross incomes above £12,000 — the benefit supplements low wages rather than replacing them. Under the old rules, they qualified automatically. Under the current rules, they pay the full £92 per LPA.

Who Qualifies for a Full Exemption

The OPG grants a complete fee waiver if the donor receives a qualifying means-tested benefit, including Income Support, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Support or Reduction, Local Housing Allowance, or Working Tax Credit combined with Child Tax Credit, the disability element of Working Tax Credit, or the severe disability element of Working Tax Credit. If you are on one of these benefits, the LPA registration is free — £0 for each document.

Universal Credit claimants are assessed under the gross-income rules: if the donor's gross annual income falls below £12,000, a 50% remission may be available. Universal Credit is not, by itself, an automatic full exemption. Your net take-home pay is not the measure for this test.

Who Qualifies for a 50% Remission

Anyone with a gross annual income below £12,000 who does not receive one of the qualifying exemption benefits gets the 50% remission instead. This reduces the fee from £92 to £46 per LPA (£92 total for both Property and Financial Affairs plus Health and Welfare, instead of £184).

The income figure is the donor's gross annual income before tax. LPA120 asks for evidence of income from all sources, including employment, pensions, rental income, interest, and Universal Credit. Your net take-home pay is not the measure for this test.

How to Fill In Form LPA120

The form is straightforward but must be submitted correctly:

1. Download form LPA120 from the OPG website or request a paper copy by post
2. Complete the donor's personal details — name, address, and date of birth must match the LPA application exactly
3. Tick the boxes for each qualifying benefit received, or declare your gross annual income
4. Attach supporting evidence: an entitlement letter or benefit-provider statement for a qualifying benefit; for paid employment, the last three consecutive wage slips; for Universal Credit, statements covering 12 months. Bank statements alone are not accepted as proof of income
5. Sign and date the declaration

The form must be posted to the OPG at PO Box 16185, Birmingham, B2 2WH — in the same envelope as your completed LPA application. If you submit the LPA first and the LPA120 later, the full fee applies. The OPG will not accept retrospective claims.

Evidence That Gets Rejected

LPA120 evidence must cover the correct financial year and include the donor's income type and amount. Bank statements cannot be the sole proof of income. If you receive multiple income sources, include documentation for all of them; incomplete evidence can lead to a request for further information or refusal.

For paid employment, the LPA120 guidance asks for the last three consecutive wage slips from current employment. For Universal Credit, provide statements for 12 months. The OPG may request more evidence if what you send is insufficient.

What Happens If You Miss the Deadline

There is no separate calendar deadline for submitting the LPA120 — but there is a hard rule: it must arrive with the LPA application, not after. If you realise after posting the LPA that you forgot the LPA120, you cannot send it separately. The full £92 per document is charged, and the OPG will not refund the difference.

If your LPA is rejected for an unrelated reason (signing errors, for example) and you need to resubmit, you must submit a fresh LPA120 with entirely fresh evidence alongside the corrected application. The original fee remission does not carry over.

Our LPA guide includes a dedicated LPA120 evidence checklist that matches each qualifying benefit to the exact documents the OPG accepts.

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