Enduring Powers of Attorney were the predecessor to Lasting Powers of Attorney for Financial Decisions. They allowed you to nominate someone trusted to help you with your finances, if you became unable.
It is no longer possible to make an Enduring Power of Attorney. These documents were replaced in October 2007 by Lasting Powers of Attorney for Financial Decisions. However, if you (or someone you love) made one of these documents, they can still be used.
Using an Enduring Power of Attorney
An EPA can still be used while the ‘donor’ (the person who made it) still has mental capacity, with their permission.
If the donor loses mental capacity, their attorneys will then need to register the EPA to start or continue using it.
Registering an Enduring Power of Attorney
You must register an Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA) immediately when the donor begins to lose mental capacity.
Inform the donor, their relatives, and any other attorneys that you’re starting the registration process.
- Notify relevant individuals
- Complete the registration form
- Submit the form and pay the fee
How to inform relevant individuals:
You must download and complete form EP1PG. Send copies of this form to:
- The donor
- At least three eligible family members of the donor, who must be adults (18+) and mentally capable
- Any attorneys appointed on a ‘joint and several’ basis who aren’t part of the registration process
You must notify family members following a strict priority order listed below. If no relatives exist in a category, move on to the next group:
- Donor’s spouse or civil partner
- Donor’s children (biological or adopted; stepchildren excluded)
- Donor’s parents
- Donor’s siblings, including half-siblings
- Widowed spouse or surviving civil partner of the donor’s child
- Donor’s grandchildren
- Donor’s nephews and nieces (children of full siblings)
- Donor’s nephews and nieces (children of half-siblings)
- Donor’s aunts and uncles (full siblings of the donor’s parents)
- Donor’s first cousins (children of the donor’s aunts and uncles from full siblings of the donor’s parents)
You must inform everyone in a given category if informing one person within that group. For instance, if notifying one grandchild when there are multiple grandchildren, all grandchildren must be informed.
If you’re both a relative and attorney, you count as one of the three relatives to notify, but others within your category must still be informed.
You must make reasonable efforts to locate the addresses of the individuals being notified. If you’re unable to find their addresses, or if fewer than three relatives are alive, inform the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) during the application process.
Recipients of the notice have 35 days from receipt to object to the registration.
Submitting the registration form:
Download and complete the EP2PG application form.
Once you have sent the EP1PG forms notifying the required people, immediately submit the EP2PG form along with the original EPA document (or a certified copy if the original is unavailable) to:
Office of the Public Guardian, PO Box 16185, BirminghamB2 2WH
If you’re using DX courier service, send to:
Office of the Public Guardian, DX 744240 Birmingham 79
Payment of Fees
The current fee for registering an EPA is £82. From 17 November 2025, the fee increases to £92.
Make cheques payable to ‘Office of the Public Guardian’ and clearly write the donor’s name on the reverse.
If you qualify for fee assistance, use form LPA120 to apply.
Registration Timeframe
Registration typically takes around 8 to 10 weeks from submission of your application and notifying family members. This timeframe may be extended if any objections are raised by notified parties.