27/09/2026
An LPA isn't really about filling in a form.
You are choosing who may one day have access to your bank accounts, manage your investments, sell your home and make decisions involving potentially everything you own. Also decisions about your care, where you live and medical treatment
And the person you appoint isn't simply doing you a favour.
Being an attorney is a legal role. There are duties attached to it. Attorneys can be required to explain their decisions and account for what they have done. Misuse can lead to investigation by the Office of the Public Guardian, removal by the Court of Protection and, in serious cases, referral to the police.
That isn't theoretical.
In 2025/26, 13,183 concerns were raised with the Office of the Public Guardian, up 17% in a year. 3,645 were accepted for investigation. I suspect we are going to see more and more referrals.
So when I advise somebody about an LPA, the interesting bit isn't whether I can put their name and address into the right boxes.
Of course I can.
The interesting bit is the conversation before we get anywhere near the form.
Who are you appointing?
Why them?
Do they understand what they are taking on?
Should they act together or independently?
What happens if relationships change?
Are there particular assets, family circumstances or vulnerabilities we need to think about?
And, crucially, does the person making the LPA understand just how much authority they are giving someone else?
But price comparisons which compare professional advice with the cost of producing a document rather miss the point.
The form is the easy bit.
It's the power that deserves some thought.