Lasting power of attorney: acting as an attorney
Using your lasting power of attorney
The lasting power of attorney (LPA) must be registered before you can start acting as an attorney.
Any organisation you deal with on behalf of the donor can ask you to prove you’re the attorney. You can:
- show them the original LPA
- show them a certified copy of the LPA
- give them access to view an online summary of the LPA
They may also ask you to prove other details, such as:
- your name, address and date of birth
- the donor’s name or address
You may need to provide other information, such as an account number.
Check what proof they need, and how you should share this with them, before sending any documents.
Getting a certified copy of the LPA
The donor can certify copies of the LPA if they can still make their own decisions.
A solicitor or notary can also certify copies of the LPA - they charge a fee for this.
Using the LPA online
You can create an account to use a lasting power of attorney summary online if your LPA was made after 1 January 2016.
If the LPA was registered before 1 January 2016, you’ll need to show the paper LPA to people or organisations instead.
You’ll be able to generate an access code for each organisation that needs to view the LPA.
Check that the organisation will accept an online summary of the LPA.