According to Richmond Wills & Probate, you do not have to use a solicitor to make a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) in England and Wales. The government provides forms and an online service that allow people to prepare an LPA themselves.

That leads to a more useful question: when might professional help be worth considering?

What can you do yourself?

A person making an LPA can choose their attorney or attorneys, complete the relevant forms, arrange for the required signatures and certificate, and submit the LPA for registration with the Office of the Public Guardian.

For someone with straightforward wishes who is comfortable following the process, a DIY application may be suitable.

Where can professional support help?

The forms involve decisions as well as administration. You need to decide who should act, whether attorneys should make decisions jointly or separately, and whether to include instructions or preferences about how the power should be used.

Professional support may be useful where family circumstances are more complicated, several attorneys are being appointed, there are concerns about future disagreements, or the person simply wants reassurance that the paperwork reflects what they intend.

What should you compare?

If you are considering paid support, ask what the service includes. Does the provider explain the two types of LPA? Will they help you think through attorney choices and how attorneys should act? Does the quoted fee include registration work, and are Office of the Public Guardian fees separate?

You should also check the provider's qualifications, professional memberships and complaints or consumer-protection arrangements.

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LPA support in Teddington

Richmond Wills & Probate is based in Teddington and assists local families with LPAs as part of its wider will writing, probate and estate-administration service. You can learn more about Richmond Wills & Probate's services here.

The company said: "Using a professional is not compulsory. The decision is about whether you are comfortable making the choices and completing the process yourself, or whether professional guidance would be useful for your circumstances."

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