How to Object to a Lasting Power of Attorney

Can you object to registering an LPA?

Yes, in defined circumstances. When an LPA is sent for registration, the Office of the Public Guardian notifies certain people, and there is a short window in which they can object rather than let it proceed. Registration ordinarily takes around 8 to 10 weeks where there are no mistakes, and part of that time allows for concerns to be raised (gov.uk, register an LPA, as at July 2026, subject to change). Objecting is not automatic, and it needs a valid ground.

Who can object to an LPA?

The right to object mainly rests with the donor, the attorneys, and any people named in the LPA as "people to be told". These named people are notified when registration is applied for, precisely so they have a chance to raise concerns (gov.uk, register an LPA, as at July 2026, subject to change). Someone who is neither an attorney nor a person to be told can still raise a matter, but generally does so by applying to the Court of Protection instead.

The two routes at a glance. A factual objection goes to the Office of the Public Guardian on form LPA007. An objection on prescribed grounds, about how the LPA was made or the donor's capacity, needs both form LPA008 to the Office of the Public Guardian and an application to the Court of Protection on form COP7. It does not cost anything to object this way if you are an attorney or a person to be told (gov.uk, object to registration, as at July 2026, subject to change). A person who is neither an attorney nor a person to be told applies to the court on form COP1 and sends a £421 fee (gov.uk, as at July 2026, subject to change).

Factual and prescribed-grounds objections

There are two kinds of objection, and the right one depends on the reason. A factual objection covers set circumstances that mean the LPA should not go ahead, such as the donor or an attorney having died, the donor and an attorney having divorced or ended a civil partnership, an attorney lacking capacity, an attorney disclaiming the role, or bankruptcy affecting a property and financial affairs attorney (gov.uk, object to registration, as at July 2026, subject to change).

A prescribed-grounds objection covers concerns about how the LPA came about. Examples given include the LPA not being legally correct, the donor lacking capacity to make it, fraud such as a faked signature, the donor being pressured, or an attorney acting against the donor's best interests (gov.uk, object to registration, as at July 2026, subject to change). Whichever route applies, you need evidence to support it.

What is the deadline to object?

The window is short. You must object within 3 weeks of being told about the registration, so once a notification arrives the clock is running (gov.uk, object to registration, as at July 2026, subject to change). People to be told are given a period to raise concerns with the Office of the Public Guardian as part of the registration process (gov.uk, register an LPA, as at July 2026, subject to change). Missing the deadline can mean the objection is not considered at that stage, so many people act quickly and take advice if they are unsure.

A worked example (illustration only). A daughter is named as a person to be told in her father's LPA. She receives notice that registration has been applied for and believes his signature was added under pressure by one of the attorneys. Because that is a concern about how the LPA was made, it is a prescribed-grounds objection. She would complete form LPA008 to the Office of the Public Guardian and apply to the Court of Protection on form COP7 within 3 weeks of being told, and gather evidence to support the claim. As a person to be told, she does not pay a fee to object this way (gov.uk, as at July 2026, subject to change). Every case turns on its own facts, so this is general information rather than guidance for any real situation.

What happens after you object?

It depends on the route. A valid factual objection to the Office of the Public Guardian can stop registration where the stated circumstance is made out (gov.uk, object to registration, as at July 2026, subject to change). A prescribed-grounds objection is decided by the Court of Protection, which weighs the evidence before reaching a view. Because outcomes are not guaranteed and the evidence matters, it can be worth discussing a contested LPA with a qualified professional. If the issue is that an existing, registered LPA should end, that is a different process; see revoking an LPA.

Objecting stops a document before it takes effect. Ending one that is already registered is a separate step with its own rules.

Factual versus prescribed-grounds objections

The table sets out the two routes side by side. It is a summary only, and the correct route depends on the exact reason for the concern and who is raising it.

Feature	Factual objection	Prescribed-grounds objection
Typical reason	Death, divorce, attorney lacking capacity, disclaimer, bankruptcy	Capacity, fraud, pressure, LPA not legally correct, attorney against best interests
Form to OPG	LPA007	LPA008
Court application	Not usually needed	Court of Protection, form COP7
Court fee	None to OPG	None for an attorney or person to be told (COP7); £421 for someone not named, who applies on form COP1
Deadline	Within 3 weeks of being told	Within 3 weeks of being told

Source: gov.uk/object-registration-power-attorney, as at July 2026, subject to change. Figures and forms can change, so confirm the current position before acting.

Objecting in Scotland and Northern Ireland

This guide describes the law of England and Wales, where the Office of the Public Guardian and the Court of Protection handle LPAs. Scotland has its own system, with the Office of the Public Guardian (Scotland) and the sheriff court dealing with continuing and welfare powers of attorney, so the forms and routes to raise a concern differ. Northern Ireland operates a separate framework as well. Where a power of attorney touches more than one UK nation, it can be worth taking advice in each. For the wider picture, see our estate planning guide.

Frequently asked questions

How do I object to an LPA before it is registered?

You tell the Office of the Public Guardian, using form LPA007 for a factual objection or form LPA008 for a prescribed-grounds objection, and for prescribed grounds you also apply to the Court of Protection on form COP7 (gov.uk, as at July 2026, subject to change). You need supporting evidence, and the correct route depends on your reason.

What is the deadline to object to an LPA?

You must object within 3 weeks of being told about the registration, so the window is short (gov.uk, as at July 2026, subject to change). People named as those to be told are notified during registration and given time to raise concerns. Because missing the deadline can mean the objection is not considered then, many people act promptly and seek advice if unsure.

How much does it cost to object to an LPA?

A factual objection to the Office of the Public Guardian on form LPA007 does not carry a fee to that office. It also does not cost anything to object on prescribed grounds using forms LPA008 and COP7 if you are an attorney or a person to be told. The £421 Court of Protection fee applies instead to someone who is neither an attorney nor a person to be told, who applies on form COP1, and help with that fee may be available in qualifying cases (gov.uk, as at July 2026, subject to change).

What are valid grounds to object to an LPA?

Factual grounds include the donor or an attorney dying, divorce ending an attorney's appointment, an attorney lacking capacity or disclaiming, or bankruptcy affecting a finance attorney. Prescribed grounds include the donor lacking capacity to make the LPA, fraud, pressure, the LPA not being legally correct, or an attorney acting against the donor's best interests (gov.uk, as at July 2026, subject to change).

Can I object to an LPA if I am not named in it?

Often yes, but usually by a different route. The donor, the attorneys and the named people to be told can object directly to the Office of the Public Guardian. Someone who is neither an attorney nor a person to be told generally raises concerns by applying to the Court of Protection on form COP1 (gov.uk, as at July 2026, subject to change). Evidence is still needed.

Is objecting the same as cancelling an LPA?

No. Objecting applies before an LPA is registered and aims to stop it taking effect. Cancelling or ending a power of attorney that is already registered is a separate process with its own rules, sometimes done by the donor while they still have capacity or by the court. See our note on revoking an LPA for that different situation.

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.