What are the Different Types of Power of Attorney?

By Matt Cresswell, Founder of Power of Attorney Online and author of
Everything you ever wanted to know about LPAs (but were afraid to ask)

26th September 2025

Updated: Saturday 12th September 2026

When people search for Types of Power of Attorney UK, they are usually trying to work out which legal arrangement is right for their situation. They may be helping an elderly parent, planning for their own future, dealing with a temporary absence or trying to understand an existing document signed years ago. The terminology can be confusing because “Power of Attorney” is used as an umbrella term for several different arrangements. In England and Wales, the main types to understand are Lasting Power of Attorney, Ordinary or General Power of Attorney, and Enduring Power of Attorney. There are also more limited forms, such as a specific Power of Attorney for one transaction or an arrangement used for certain business matters. The important point is that these documents do different jobs. Some can continue to operate if someone loses mental capacity. Others cannot. Choosing the wrong type can leave a family without the authority they thought they had.

What is a Power of Attorney?

A Power of Attorney is a legal arrangement that allows one person to give another person authority to act on their behalf.

The person giving the authority is known as the donor. The person appointed to act is known as the attorney.

Despite the word “attorney”, the attorney doesn’t have to be a solicitor or lawyer. It can be a trusted family member, friend or another suitable person.

The authority given depends on the type of Power of Attorney. It might allow someone to pay bills while you are abroad. It might allow a trusted person to manage your bank accounts if you become unable to do so. Or it might allow someone to make certain health and care decisions if you lose the ability to make them yourself.

The phrase “Power of Attorney” therefore does not describe just one document. The first step is understanding the different options.

The main types of Power of Attorney in England and Wales

The three main categories are:

Type	What it is used for	Can it continue after loss of capacity?	Can you create one today?
Lasting Power of Attorney	Long-term financial or health and welfare decisions	Yes, subject to the type and registration	Yes
Ordinary or General Power of Attorney	Temporary or limited financial authority	No	Yes
Enduring Power of Attorney	Older financial authority arrangement	Yes, if valid and registered when required	No, not for new applications

The most important distinction is whether the document is designed to continue working if the donor loses mental capacity. That is the point at which many people discover that an Ordinary Power of Attorney is not a substitute for an LPA.

1. Lasting Power of Attorney

A Lasting Power of Attorney is the main legal document used to plan for the possibility that you may need someone else to make decisions on your behalf in the future.

It allows you to choose who you trust to act for you while you still have the mental capacity to make that choice.

There are two separate types of LPA.

Property and Financial Affairs LPA

A Property and Financial Affairs LPA covers decisions about money and property.

Depending on the authority given, attorneys may be able to:

• manage bank and building society accounts;
• pay household bills;
• deal with pensions and benefits;
• manage investments;
• buy or sell property;
• deal with tax affairs;
• manage debts and other financial responsibilities.

A Property and Financial Affairs LPA can be useful even while the donor still has capacity.

For example, someone recovering from an operation may want their attorney to deal with banking or paperwork temporarily. The donor can also choose whether the LPA should be used immediately after registration or only once they lose capacity.

The precise terms of the document matter. It’s not simply a blanket instruction to “do whatever you want”. Attorneys must act within their authority and in the donor’s best interests.

Health and Welfare LPA

A Health and Welfare LPA covers personal decisions rather than financial matters.

Depending on the circumstances, it can cover decisions about:

• where the donor lives;
• day-to-day care;
• personal welfare;
• who provides care;
• medical treatment;
• social care;
• life-sustaining treatment, if the donor has given the relevant authority.

A Health and Welfare LPA can only be used when the donor lacks the mental capacity to make the particular decision.

This is different from a Property and Financial Affairs LPA, which can potentially be used while the donor still has capacity if the document permits it and the donor gives permission.

Do most people need both types of LPA?

Not everyone needs both, but many people choose to make both because they cover different areas of life.

A Property and Financial Affairs LPA doesn’t give someone authority to make health and welfare decisions. A Health and Welfare LPA doesn’t allow someone to operate your bank accounts or sell your property.

If you want comprehensive protection, making both documents is usually the clearest approach.

For a couple, each person needs their own LPAs. If both people want both types, that generally means four separate documents.

2. Ordinary Power of Attorney

An Ordinary Power of Attorney, also called a General Power of Attorney, is usually designed for a temporary arrangement.

It gives someone authority to deal with financial matters while the donor still has mental capacity. For example, someone might use an Ordinary Power of Attorney because they are:

• travelling abroad;
• recovering from an operation;
• temporarily unwell;
• finding it difficult to manage paperwork;
• asking someone to deal with a specific financial matter.

The authority can be broad or limited, depending on how the document is drafted. An Ordinary Power of Attorney is often useful when the donor knows what they want done and remains able to make their own decisions.

However, it has a significant limitation.

An Ordinary Power of Attorney stops working if the donor loses capacity

An Ordinary Power of Attorney is not designed to continue if the donor loses mental capacity. That means it is not normally the right document for someone who wants to plan for dementia, a serious illness or a future loss of capacity.

For example, suppose a parent gives their daughter an Ordinary Power of Attorney to help manage their bank account while they are recovering from surgery. If the parent later loses mental capacity, the Ordinary Power of Attorney may no longer provide the authority the daughter needs. The family may then have to consider a different legal route. That’s why an Ordinary Power of Attorney and an LPA should not be treated as interchangeable.

3. Enduring Power of Attorney

An Enduring Power of Attorney, or EPA, is an older type of Power of Attorney.

EPAs were replaced by LPAs in England and Wales in October 2007. You can’t create a new EPA today. However, an EPA made before 1 October 2007 may still be valid, provided it was correctly made under the rules that applied at the time.

An EPA covers property and financial affairs only. It doesn’t cover health and welfare decisions.

An existing EPA can potentially be used while the donor still has capacity. If the donor begins to lose or has lost mental capacity, the EPA generally needs to be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian before it can continue to be used in the relevant circumstances. This is one of the reasons families sometimes become confused when they find an old Power of Attorney document in a drawer.

They may have an EPA rather than an LPA.

Can an EPA still be used?

Yes, an EPA made before October 2007 may still be valid. But it is important to establish:

• when it was made;
• whether it was correctly signed;
• what authority it gives;
• whether registration is now required;
• whether it still reflects the donor’s wishes;
• whether the attorneys are still able and willing to act.

An EPA cannot simply be updated into an LPA by changing a few details. If the donor still has mental capacity, they may wish to make a new LPA instead, depending on their circumstances. If they have lost capacity, the position may be more complicated.

LPA versus EPA: what is the difference?

The distinction between an LPA and an EPA is especially important for anyone who has found an older document or is helping a parent understand their existing arrangements.

Feature	Lasting Power of Attorney	Enduring Power of Attorney
Can new documents be created?	Yes	No
Covers property and finances?	Yes	Yes
Covers health and welfare?	Yes, through a separate LPA	No
Can operate after loss of capacity?	Yes, once registered and subject to the type	Yes, if valid and registered when required
Can be used while donor has capacity?	Property and Financial Affairs LPA can be used if permitted and authorised	Generally yes
Main purpose	Modern long-term planning	Older financial authority arrangement

An EPA isn’t automatically invalid simply because it is old. But an EPA is also not the same as a modern LPA.

If you are unsure whether an existing document is an EPA or LPA, it is worth checking the paperwork carefully before assuming it gives the authority you need.

Other forms of Power of Attorney

The three categories above are the main ones most people encounter, but there are other forms of Power of Attorney. These are usually more limited and may be used for a particular transaction, situation or organisation.

Specific or limited Power of Attorney

A specific Power of Attorney gives someone authority to carry out a defined task.

For example, it might allow someone to:

• sign documents for one property transaction;
• complete a particular legal or financial task;
• act on behalf of a business for a defined matter;
• deal with a specific account or transaction.

The authority is limited to the purpose described in the document. A specific Power of Attorney is not normally designed to provide broad, long-term protection if the donor loses capacity.

Business Power of Attorney

A business owner may need a Power of Attorney to allow another person to deal with certain business matters. This can be relevant to sole traders, landlords, company directors and people whose personal income or responsibilities depend on a business.

However, the right structure depends on the business and the authority required. A business Power of Attorney shouldn’t automatically be treated as a substitute for a Property and Financial Affairs LPA. An LPA may be relevant to a sole trader’s personal financial affairs and business responsibilities, but business owners should consider whether specialist legal advice is needed for company-specific arrangements.

Which type of Power of Attorney do you need?

The answer depends on what you want the document to achieve.

Your situation	Likely option
You want someone to manage your finances while you are abroad	Ordinary Power of Attorney
You need temporary help while recovering from illness or surgery	Ordinary Power of Attorney
You want someone to manage your finances if you lose capacity	Property and Financial Affairs LPA
You want someone to make care or welfare decisions if you lose capacity	Health and Welfare LPA
You want protection for both finances and welfare	Both types of LPA
You have an old Power of Attorney made before October 2007	Check whether it is an EPA
You need someone to complete one defined transaction	Specific or limited Power of Attorney

The key question is not simply, “Do I need a Power of Attorney?”

It is: What decisions might someone need to make, and what happens if I can no longer make those decisions myself?

That distinction usually points towards the right document.

Why an LPA is usually the right choice for future planning

An Ordinary Power of Attorney is useful for temporary arrangements. An EPA may still be valid if it was made before October 2007.

But if you are making a new arrangement today to prepare for the possibility of losing capacity, an LPA is normally the relevant option. An LPA lets you choose your attorneys in advance.

You can decide who you trust. You can decide whether to appoint one attorney or more than one. You can consider replacement attorneys. You can decide whether attorneys should act jointly or jointly and severally. You can include preferences and instructions, provided they are drafted appropriately.

Most importantly, you make the choice while you still have the mental capacity to do so. If someone loses capacity before making an LPA, their family cannot simply create one for them afterwards. They may need to apply to the Court of Protection for deputyship instead.

That process can be more involved, and the person who has lost capacity no longer has the same opportunity to choose their own attorneys.

How much does a Power of Attorney cost?

The cost depends on the type of document and how it is prepared.

For a new LPA, the Office of the Public Guardian currently charges a registration fee of £92 per LPA.

That means:

LPA documents	OPG registration fees
One LPA	£92
Two LPAs for one person	£184
Two LPAs for two people	£368

Some people may qualify for a reduced fee or exemption depending on their financial circumstances. If you use the GOV.UK service, there is no preparation fee, although the OPG registration fee still applies unless you qualify for a reduction or exemption.

Power of Attorney Online currently charges £125 for a single LPA or £250 for a pair, plus the applicable OPG registration fees.

That fee covers guided online preparation, Expert LPA Review and human support through the process. The legal document produced is still the same type of OPG-registered LPA as one prepared through GOV.UK or by a solicitor. The difference is the level of support around the application.

Do you need a solicitor to make an LPA?

No. You can make an LPA yourself using the official GOV.UK service or paper forms. You can also use a specialist online provider for guided support.

A solicitor may be appropriate if your circumstances are complicated, particularly if you have complex family arrangements, business interests, substantial assets, international considerations or concerns about disputes. For a straightforward situation, many people want something between doing everything themselves and paying for a solicitor to handle the entire process.

That’s where a specialist online LPA service can be useful. The important thing is to understand the difference between:

legal advice, which is tailored advice about your individual circumstances; and

guided preparation, which helps you navigate the standard LPA process and avoid common administrative mistakes.

Neither option is automatically right for everyone.

What happens after an LPA is completed?

An LPA is not ready to use simply because the online form has been completed. The document must be signed in the correct order by the relevant people, including the donor, certificate provider and attorneys. The appropriate signatures must be witnessed.

The completed LPA then needs to be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian. The current registration process generally takes around 8 to 10 weeks if there are no mistakes. This is why it is important to avoid treating the online application as the entire process.

The online form is one stage. Signing and registration are equally important.

What can go wrong when choosing or making a Power of Attorney?

The most common problem is often choosing a document that does not do what the family expects. For example, someone may assume that a General Power of Attorney will continue if the donor develops dementia. It generally will not.

Someone may find an old EPA and assume it covers health and welfare decisions. It does not.

Someone may make a Property and Financial Affairs LPA but assume it also gives their attorney authority to make care decisions. It does not.

There can also be practical problems with the application itself, such as:

• incorrect names or personal details;
• unsuitable attorneys;
• uncertainty over joint versus joint and several appointments;
• an unsuitable certificate provider;
• mistakes in the signing order;
• unclear or problematic instructions;
• failure to register the LPA.

This is why it is worth understanding the type of document before starting the paperwork. A correctly completed document is only useful if it gives the authority you actually need.

What our own experience tells us

At Power of Attorney Online, our work is focused on helping people create LPAs through guided online support and Expert LPA Review.

Our own review experience shows that around 85% of LPA applications we review contain at least one issue requiring attention. That is our internal first-party data, not an official OPG statistic and not a claim that 85% of all UK LPA applications contain errors.

It does, however, illustrate how easy it is for people to misunderstand a section, enter a detail incorrectly or overlook an issue before signing. The problem is rarely that someone is being careless. Most people are completing an LPA for the first time. They are dealing with unfamiliar terminology and making decisions that may have significant consequences later.

That is why we believe guided preparation and checking can be valuable for people who do not need bespoke legal advice but would prefer not to navigate the process entirely alone.

The important distinction: authority versus convenience

A bank may allow someone to help with an account while the account holder has capacity. A family member may be able to help with shopping, bills or appointments. A joint account may make some day-to-day arrangements easier.

But none of those arrangements automatically gives someone broad legal authority to act if another person loses mental capacity. That’s what an appropriate Power of Attorney is designed to address. The right document gives the attorney a defined legal authority. The wrong document may create the impression that someone can help, while leaving them unable to deal with important decisions when the need arises.

This is particularly relevant when planning for later life, dementia, serious illness or an unexpected accident.

How to choose the right route

If you need temporary financial help and you still have capacity, an Ordinary Power of Attorney may be appropriate. If you already have an EPA made before October 2007, check its terms and whether registration is required. If you want to plan for the possibility of losing capacity, an LPA is usually the modern option.

Then decide whether you need:

• Property and Financial Affairs;
• Health and Welfare;
• or both.

Finally, decide how you want to prepare the document. You can use GOV.UK and complete the process yourself. You can use a specialist online provider for guided preparation and checking. Or you can speak to a solicitor if you need personalised legal advice.

The best route is the one that matches your circumstances and gives you confidence that the document will do what you intend.

Final thoughts

The phrase “Power of Attorney” covers several different legal arrangements, and choosing the right one matters. An Ordinary Power of Attorney is generally for temporary financial authority while the donor has capacity. An EPA is an older financial document that may still be valid if it was made before October 2007. A Lasting Power of Attorney is the main modern option for planning ahead, with separate documents for Property and Financial Affairs and Health and Welfare.

For most people thinking about future protection, the central decision is whether they need one or both types of LPA. The important thing is to make the arrangement while you still have the capacity to choose who you trust. That way, if circumstances change, your family is not left trying to work out what to do after the opportunity to make an LPA has passed.