Do these figures cover Scotland and Northern Ireland?
No. The Office of the Public Guardian register of 9,340,910 documents at 31 March 2025 covers England and Wales only (OPG 2024 to 2025, as at July 2026, subject to change). Scotland has its own system, with continuing and welfare powers of attorney registered by the Office of the Public Guardian (Scotland), and Northern Ireland operates a separate framework. So a UK-wide total would need to combine three different registers. Where planning touches more than one nation, it can be worth taking advice in each. For the wider picture, see our estate planning guide.
Sources and methodology
Every figure on this page comes from a named official source, verified against the published document and dated at its point of use. The register totals are measured at 31 March each year; application and supervision figures cover the reporting year to that date. No number has been estimated or rounded except the two-year change, which is stated as an arithmetic difference between two published totals.
- Office of the Public Guardian, Annual Report and Accounts 2024 to 2025: register total (9,340,910), yearly increase (1,301,364), applications received (1,367,053), deputyship orders supervised (61,038), average processing time (49 working days), safeguarding concerns (11,266); reference date 31 March 2025 and year 2024 to 2025.
- Office of the Public Guardian, Annual Report and Accounts 2023 to 2024: register total (8,039,546) and applications received (1,370,546); reference date 31 March 2024 and year 2023 to 2024.
- Office of the Public Guardian, Annual Report and Accounts 2022 to 2023: register total (6,850,834) and applications received (1,073,032); reference date 31 March 2023 and year 2022 to 2023.
- gov.uk, register a lasting power of attorney: registration fee (£92 per LPA), reduced-fee threshold (income below £12,000) and registration timescale (about 8 to 10 weeks).
All sources as at July 2026 and subject to change. Statistics are drawn directly from the named reports and may be revised by the publisher.
Frequently asked questions
How many LPAs are registered in the UK?
The Office of the Public Guardian recorded 9,340,910 LPAs and EPAs currently on the register at 31 March 2025, an increase of 1,301,364 over the year (OPG 2024 to 2025, as at July 2026, subject to change). That total covers England and Wales, since Scotland and Northern Ireland maintain separate registers.
Is that the number of people, or the number of documents?
It is the number of documents on the register, not people. Someone may have more than one, for example a property and financial affairs LPA and a health and welfare LPA, so the 9,340,910 figure at 31 March 2025 counts registered documents rather than individuals (OPG 2024 to 2025, as at July 2026, subject to change). The report does not publish a separate count of individual donors.
How fast is the register growing?
The register rose from 6,850,834 at 31 March 2023 to 8,039,546 at 31 March 2024 and 9,340,910 at 31 March 2025, adding more than a million documents in each of the last two years (OPG 2024 to 2025, as at July 2026, subject to change). Growth can vary year to year, so past increases do not guarantee the same pace ahead.
Does the total include enduring powers of attorney?
Yes. The register total combines LPAs with older enduring powers of attorney, which could no longer be created after 1 October 2007 but remain valid where they already exist (gov.uk, power of attorney, as at July 2026, subject to change). The 2024 to 2025 report gives a combined figure and does not break EPAs out separately.
How many LPA applications does the OPG receive each year?
The Office of the Public Guardian received 1,367,053 power of attorney applications in 2024 to 2025, close to the 1,370,546 in 2023 to 2024 (OPG 2024 to 2025; OPG 2023 to 2024, as at July 2026, subject to change). Application counts include both LPA and EPA registrations handled in the year.
Where can I check the very latest number?
The Office of the Public Guardian publishes an annual report each year, and the register total is measured at 31 March, so the most current official figure appears there (gov.uk, OPG annual reports, as at July 2026, subject to change). Because it is an annual snapshot, the live total between reports is not separately published, and any figure quoted elsewhere may be out of date.
About Fairchild Oldfield
The Fairchild Oldfield team brings together estate planning, tax, independent financial advice and client care, working with families across England and Wales.
Fairchild Oldfield are estate planning specialists and will writers, not a firm of solicitors. This article is general information based on practical experience, not legal, tax or financial advice.
Important: This article is general information only and is not legal, tax or financial advice. Reading it does not create a professional relationship. It is based on the law of England and Wales, and other UK jurisdictions may differ. Figures and rules are current as at July 2026 and are subject to change. Before acting, many people choose to seek advice from a suitably qualified professional, such as a solicitor, a STEP practitioner, an accountant, or an FCA-authorised financial adviser, who can consider your individual circumstances.
