Activating a lasting power of attorney, or LPA, is the crucial step that allows an attorney to begin acting legally on behalf of the donor.
Applying for an LPA
It is possible to start the application for a power of attorney online, although you will still need to sign the forms manually. You can use the services of companies such as //powerofattorneyonline.co.uk to manage the process.
Effect of activation
After the LPA is registered with the Office of the Public Guardian, or OPG, the attorney receives an activation code in the registration letter. This enables the attorney to use the government’s online Use a Lasting Power of Attorney service, which makes it easier to share a digital version of the LPA with banks, healthcare providers, and other organisations rather than relying on the paper document.
How to activate
To activate the LPA, attorneys need the activation key, a 12-character code starting with the letter C, and the LPA reference number. These are both found in the OPG registration letter. It is important to activate within 12 months of receiving the letter, as the code expires after that. If this happens, a new code can be requested online through the GOV.UK One Login and the Use an LPA service.
Digital LPAs
Currently, digital activation is available for LPAs registered from 1 January 2016 onwards, while older LPAs still require using the paper version. Once the LPA is activated, attorneys can generate access codes to share with organisations to give them temporary online access to the LPA summary for up to 30 days.