Lasting Powers of Attorney Explained

Your next of kin has no automatic right to manage your affairs — only an LPA, or a court order, gives anyone that authority.

This guide explains both LPA types in plain English, why every adult needs them (capacity can be lost in an afternoon, at any age), and the honest comparison with the Court of Protection deputyship route: months slower and far more expensive. It then walks the DIY route through gov.uk step by step, covering attorney choices, the joint-versus-several decision, and the errors that get thousands of applications rejected each year.

• Finance and health & welfare LPAs, side by side
• Why deputyship is the expensive version of the same outcome
• The full gov.uk DIY process, including fees
• The mistakes that get LPAs rejected — and the safeguards built in

Instant PDF download. England & Wales only. Information, not legal advice — and if your situation needs a real conversation, every download includes an invitation to book a free chat with a Squiggle specialist.