Rejections of lasting power of attorney increase by 200%, costing families Pound 5 million Here's how to do it correctly

Applications for permanent power of attorney may be denied for a variety of reasons, including human error and the divergent opinions of the reviewers

According to new data, families have been forced to pay an estimated £5 million for failing to properly file the appropriate lasting power of attorney paperwork.

In England and Wales, 133,760 lasting power of attorney (LPA) registrations were denied in 2024 despite an increase in applications to almost 1.5 million.

According to data from a Freedom of Information request to the Office of the Public Guardian, this represented a record 199 percent increase in LPA rejections in England and Wales in 2024 compared to 2021.

55,053 applications have already been denied this year, according to the most recent 2025 statistics available.

According to analysis by the law firm WSP Solicitors, which obtained the data, Brits are losing an estimated £5 million as a result of this skyrocketing rate of rejection.

In order to account for those who are eligible for a partial fee exemption based on income or benefits earning less than £12,000 annually, the calculations are predicated on LPA applicants paying at least 41 per application, which is half of the 82 fee due in 2024.

In actuality, those who apply for full fees may pay even more. Additionally, the bill will go up to 92 because of the 10 increase in the LPA application fee starting on November 17.

The entire cost will be assessed each time an application is denied and you don't reapply within three months.

"The data shows there has been a huge increase in overall LPA applications since 2020, which is likely due to increased media and social media exposure leading to greater public awareness of these types of protections," said Rob Selwood, co-head of wills, trusts, and probate at WSP Solicitors. The "

A permanent power of attorney: what is it?

A legal document known as a lasting power of attorney (LPA) enables you to designate dependable people, referred to as attorneys, to make decisions on your behalf in the event that you are unable to.

It is intended for individuals who are at least 18 years old, mentally capable of creating one, and capable of making their own financial, property, and medical decisions.

There are two types of LPA in England and Wales: one that protects a person's health and welfare choices, and another that manages their personal finances and property.

A long-term power of attorney for health and welfare can only be used in situations where you are incapable of making decisions for yourself. You can use this LPA to give an attorney the power to make decisions about things like:

A permanent power of attorney can be used as soon as it is registered, with your consent, for your everyday activities, such as cleaning, dressing, eating, receiving medical care, moving into a care facility, receiving life-sustaining treatment, and managing your finances. For instance, it empowers an attorney to make financial and property decisions on your behalf.

Health and welfare LPA applications (687,796) continue to lag behind finance and property LPAs (807,974), but they still increased by 216 percent and 203 percent, respectively, according to the FOI data.

The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) has an executive agency called the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) that oversees deputies appointed by the Court of Protection and provides protection to individuals who are mentally incapable of making their own financial and health decisions.

When someone is found to be incapable of making decisions for themselves under the Mental Health Act and does not have an LPA or its predecessor, an Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA), in place, deputies are appointed.

Why are long-term powers of attorney disregarded?

Applications for permanent power of attorney may be denied for a variety of reasons, including human error on the part of the applicant as well as the opinions of the Office of the Public Guardian reviewing the application.

According to Selwood, "applications can be rejected for simply writing a name or date that is not clear enough, which can be more subjective and highlights an inconsistent approach across the reviewers."

Other frequent causes include inconsistencies, illegible dates and signatures, information in the incorrect location, and sections of the LPA not being signed and dated in the proper sequence.

Time frames are improving, but rejection rates are still stubborn. Of the 1.5 million applications, 8.9% were denied last year, a minor decrease from the 9.4% denied in 2021.

"It's important to make sure every section is completed accurately and clearly from the outset because an LPA application has a significant cost," Selwood stated.

"You can prevent needless delays, extra costs, and the annoyance of a rejected application by taking the time to double-check details or consulting a professional. A "

Women and younger individuals are applying for LPAs.

A startling 204 percent national increase in the number of 1824 year old applicants seeking protections and a 217 percent increase in the number of 2534 year old applicants were among the trends that WSP Solicitors discovered as part of their investigation and analysis of the Office's most recent annual report.

"It's encouraging to see later life planning becoming more of a priority across younger age groups too, which may also be a consequence of younger generations being more IT literate," Selwood stated. The "

In addition to age, the law firm discovered that female applicants continue to outnumber their male counterparts, with an average of 35.5 percent more registrations annually over the same period.