Tens of thousands of lasting power of attorneys are rejected every year, causing delays and potentially incurring fees, according to Hargreaves Lansdown.
A recent Freedom of Information request to the Office of the Public Guardian shows 48,945 lasting power of attorney applications were rejected in 2024/25.
Provisional figures for 2025/26 show 39,781 applications were rejected.
There are two separate LPAs; one for property and financial affairs and one for health and welfare. A person can have either or both, however, Hargreaves Lansdown warned the process can be difficult.
Helen Morrissey, head of retirement analysis at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: “A lasting power of attorney can be one of the most important documents you will ever fill out. However, the application process can be complex, with data from the Office of the Public Guardian showing tens of thousands of applications are rejected each year.
“Making mistakes on the form can mean they need to be returned and amended, and this can cause delays and may even incur fees. It’s important to read through the forms carefully and take your time when filling them out to reduce the likelihood of this happening.”
Morrissey said there are several factors that people should consider, including signing in the right order, as making a mistake could see the form returned, and ensuring that instructions are clear. These can include outlining how you would like to be treated with regards to receiving life sustaining treatment as part of a health and welfare power of attorney.
Lastly, application forms are long documents and it’s important to make sure that the pages are submitted in the right order.
“This is particularly the case if you are submitting forms for both Financial Affairs and for Health and Welfare LPAs. So make sure to double check the numbering on each page, before you submit the forms to the Office of the Public Guardian,” Morrissey added.
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