LPA Registrations Soar: The Growing Pressure on an Ageing System

12th August 2025

Over the past four years, the number of Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) registrations in England and Wales has more than doubled, jumping from 691,746 in 2020/21 to 1,367,053 in 2024/25. This remarkable growth reflects a significant shift in public awareness around future life planning and the importance of appointing someone trusted to manage health, welfare or financial affairs.

However, this positive trend comes with a major challenge: the current infrastructure simply isn’t keeping pace with demand.

The OPG Under Strain

The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG), the government body responsible for registering LPAs, has long relied on paper-heavy, manual processes. Despite rising numbers year-on-year, the LPA registration system has yet to see significant modernisation. The result? Increased wait times, administrative errors and public frustration.

This surge in applications, more than a 97% increase over just four years, has placed immense pressure on the OPG’s ability to process documents quickly and efficiently. While the desire to put LPAs in place is at an all-time high, the experience of registering one often feels outdated and unnecessarily complicated.

Why Are LPA Registrations Increasing?

Several factors have contributed to the growth:

• Greater awareness driven by campaigns like ‘Your Voice, Your Decision’ and media coverage
• An ageing population seeking to put plans in place
• COVID-19, which prompted many to consider future health and decision-making
• Simplified online solutions emerging to guide users through the process

Despite this, the final step of official registration still rests with a public body using systems that haven’t been sufficiently digitised or automated.

Why Modernisation Is Crucial

The doubling of registrations should be a signal for progress, not a bottleneck. Modernising the OPG’s processes by introducing secure digital signatures, real-time application tracking, and faster validation workflows would not only ease the burden on the system but also offer applicants a smoother, less stressful experience.

As we move towards a more digitally empowered society, relying on a slow, paper-based system is increasingly untenable. Without reform, the pressure will continue to mount and people needing their LPA registered swiftly may face unnecessary delays at the point they need it most.

Power of Attorney Online: A Modern Fix for a Broken System

At Power of Attorney Online, we’ve built a solution designed to help people complete their LPA applications with clarity and confidence, avoiding common mistakes that cause delays, and ensuring forms are ready for submission first time. While we can’t speed up the OPG’s processing directly, we make the rest of the journey as simple and stress-free as possible.

Want to avoid common LPA errors and complete your application with ease? Start your LPA today with Power of Attorney Online: the smart way to get it right first time.
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