LPA Application Rejections: How Many Are Rejected?

Outright rejection of a lasting power of attorney (LPA) is uncommon. The most detailed official breakdown, published by the Office of the Public Guardian, recorded 15,912 rejected applications between 2012 and 22 May 2015, out of 1,053,719 received in the same window (OPG transparency data, 2012 to May 2015).

On those figures roughly 1.5% of applications were rejected. A much larger group, about 133,210 applications or close to one in eight, were logged as "imperfect" and needed further information before a decision. This piece sets out the numbers, explains how the categories differ, and places them against the volume of LPAs now being registered. Figures are attributed to their source and reference period at each point of use.

Key figures at a glance

Rejections are a small share of LPA activity, while the register and annual application volumes have grown into the millions. The table below gathers the headline numbers used throughout this article, each with its named official source and the period it covers, so the older rejection data and the current registration data are not read as the same year.

Percentages quoted in this article are calculated from the underlying OPG figures shown above and are described as such at each point of use.

How many LPA applications are rejected?

The clearest official series comes from OPG transparency data covering 2012 to 22 May 2015, which recorded 15,912 rejected applications from 1,053,719 received (OPG, 2012 to May 2015). Based on those numbers, rejection ran at about 1.5% across the period, with the count rising each year as overall volumes grew.

Source: OPG transparency data, LPA applications, revenue, rejections and complaints, covering 2012 to 22 May 2015. Yearly figures for 2012 and 2015 are part-year in the source.

Rejected versus imperfect: what the categories mean

The two categories are not the same, and the difference matters for anyone reading these figures. In the OPG data, a rejected application is one that had to be re-submitted, with an additional fee, before it could proceed. An "imperfect" application is one where OPG contacted the applicant for further information or documents before making an approval decision (OPG, 2012 to May 2015).

That distinction explains why the imperfect count, 133,210, is far larger than the rejected count, 15,912, over the same period (OPG, 2012 to May 2015). Many applications with a fixable problem are corrected rather than refused, so a headline "rejection" figure can understate how many forms need attention before they are registered.

LPAs registered: the wider picture

Rejections sit against a very large and growing base. OPG reported 1,367,053 power of attorney applications received in 2024–25 and 9,340,910 LPAs and EPAs on the register as at 31 March 2025 (OPG Annual Report 2024 to 2025). Annual demand is now well above the levels in the older rejection series.

Source: OPG Annual Report and Accounts 2024 to 2025, published July 2025. You can read more on how this base has grown in our companion piece on LPAs registered in the UK.

What the numbers mean

Read together, the data suggests that being turned away outright is rare, but paperwork problems are common. On the 2012 to May 2015 figures, rejections ran at roughly 1.5%, while about one in eight applications were flagged as imperfect and needed correction first (OPG, 2012 to May 2015). In our view, the imperfect rate is the more useful signal for families, because it points to how easily a form can be delayed by an avoidable error.

A few caveats are worth keeping in mind. The detailed rejection and imperfect breakdown is historical, and more recent OPG annual reports tend to report registrations, processing times and backlogs rather than a like-for-like rejection rate (OPG Annual Report 2024 to 2025). The move toward a digital LPA service may also change the pattern over time, since some checks can be built into an online form. Anyone unsure whether their form is complete can consider checking the current guidance or discussing it with a qualified professional before submitting.

Outright rejection is unusual. The more common outcome for a flawed application appears to be a delay while it is corrected.

Scotland and Northern Ireland

These figures relate to the Office of the Public Guardian for England and Wales, which registers LPAs under the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Scotland has a separate system of continuing and welfare powers of attorney, registered with the Office of the Public Guardian (Scotland), and Northern Ireland has its own arrangements, including enduring powers of attorney. The rejection and registration numbers above should not be read across to those jurisdictions, which publish their own data and can be worth checking directly.

Sources and methodology

Every statistic here comes from a named official source and is quoted with its reference period. Where a percentage is given, it is a simple ratio of two published OPG figures rather than a separate published rate, and it is described that way at the point of use. No figures have been estimated or projected.

• Office of the Public Guardian, LPA applications, revenue, rejections and complaints (transparency data covering 2012 to 22 May 2015): rejected, imperfect and received counts by year.
• Office of the Public Guardian, Annual Report and Accounts 2024 to 2025 (published July 2025): applications received, register total at 31 March 2025, backlog and average registration time.
• gov.uk, Register a lasting power of attorney (as at July 2026, subject to change): current registration fee and fee reductions.

Frequently asked questions

For background on how these documents work and where they fit in a wider plan, see our guide to Lasting Power of Attorney explained and our broader estate planning guide.