LPA120 Qualifying Benefits and Fee Remission Rules 2026

The February 2026 Rule Change

The OPG tightened its fee remission criteria on 2 February 2026, and the change catches many applicants off guard. Before this date, receiving Universal Credit automatically qualified a donor for a 50% fee reduction. That automatic entitlement is gone. Universal Credit recipients now face the same income-based assessment as everyone else.

This matters because many families who assumed they would pay £46 per LPA are now being charged the full £92. Understanding the current rules before you apply saves time, money, and the frustration of having a fee remission application rejected.

Full Exemption (£0 Fee)

The donor pays nothing to register an LPA if they receive a qualifying means-tested benefit at the time of application. Examples include:

• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit element)

The donor must provide evidence that they are receiving the qualifying benefit. Acceptable evidence includes a current benefit award letter or a letter or notification from the DWP or other benefit provider. A bank statement alone is not enough; include supporting documentation from the provider.

50% Remission (£46 per LPA)

If the donor does not receive a qualifying benefit but has a gross annual income below £12,000, they qualify for a 50% fee remission. This reduces the cost from £92 to £46 per LPA document (£92 total for both types instead of £184).

Gross annual income means total income before tax and deductions. It includes employment income, self-employment income, pensions, rental income, and most benefit payments. The OPG may ask for evidence such as payslips, a P60, pension statements, or tax returns.

How to Fill In the LPA120

The form is two pages. Section 1 asks for the donor's name and address (this must match the LPA application exactly). Section 2 asks which type of financial help you are applying for — exemption or remission. Section 3 asks for details of the qualifying benefit or income.

Attach your evidence documents. Photocopies are accepted, but they must be clear and legible. If you are claiming based on Universal Credit, include the required 12 months of UC statements or screenshots showing the relevant income.

Critical Timing Rule

The LPA120 must be submitted at the same time as the LPA application. The OPG will not accept retrospective fee remission applications under any circumstances. If you pay the full £92 and then realise you qualified for a reduction, the OPG will not refund the difference.

This means you need to decide whether to apply for fee remission before you submit your LPA. If you are unsure whether you qualify, it is better to submit the LPA120 and be rejected (the LPA application continues at the full fee) than to skip it and lose the chance entirely.

What Happens If Your LPA Is Rejected

If the OPG rejects your LPA application due to a procedural error, you lose both the registration fee and the fee remission. Resubmitting requires a completely new LPA form, the £46 repeat-application fee (or a new LPA120 application), and fresh supporting evidence. Nothing carries over from the rejected application.

This is why getting the LPA itself right — correct signing order, proper witnessing, clean form with no correction fluid — is especially important for families on low incomes. A rejected application means paying twice.

The Refund Window

If you paid the full fee and believe you should have qualified for a remission, you have 3 months from the date the OPG issues the registration invoice or final decision to apply for a refund. After that window closes, the full fee is non-refundable.

Note that this refund provision applies only to specific circumstances where the OPG made an error in assessing eligibility — it does not override the rule against retrospective applications. If you simply forgot to submit the LPA120 with your original application, the 3-month refund window does not apply.

For step-by-step guidance on the LPA120 application, including which evidence documents to prepare and how to handle a rejection, see our Lasting Power of Attorney guide.

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