Revoke a Lasting Power of Attorney

Can you revoke a lasting power of attorney?

Yes. As the person who made the LPA, known as the donor, you can cancel it whenever you choose, provided you still have the mental capacity to make that decision. It does not matter whether the LPA has been registered with the Office of the Public Guardian, and you do not need your attorneys' agreement to end it (gov.uk, end your lasting power of attorney, as at July 2026, subject to change).

What mental capacity do you need to revoke an LPA?

You must be able to make and understand the decision yourself at the time you revoke. The Office of the Public Guardian is clear that a donor must have mental capacity to end an LPA (gov.uk, end your lasting power of attorney, as at July 2026, subject to change). If capacity has already been lost, the LPA generally cannot be revoked by the donor, and any concerns about an attorney would instead be raised with the Office of the Public Guardian or the Court of Protection.

The deed of revocation

A deed of revocation is a short written statement that cancels the LPA and the authority you gave under it. For a registered LPA, you need to send the Office of the Public Guardian both the original LPA and this deed. Gov.uk sets out suggested wording, which names you, identifies the LPA by type and date, names your attorneys, and states that you revoke it, before being signed and witnessed (gov.uk, end your lasting power of attorney, as at July 2026, subject to change).

The suggested wording opens: "This deed of revocation is made by [your name] of [your address]", identifies whether it is a property and financial affairs or a health and welfare LPA, names the attorneys, and confirms "I revoke the lasting power of attorney and the authority granted by it" (gov.uk, as at July 2026, subject to change). Getting the type and date right matters, so many people check the original document carefully before signing.

See our wider guide, Lasting Power of Attorney Explained, for how the two types of LPA work.

How to remove just one attorney

If you want to keep the LPA but remove a single attorney, you generally do not revoke the whole document. Instead, the Office of the Public Guardian asks for a partial deed of revocation, a written statement that revokes the named attorney only, signed and witnessed and sent to them with notice given to your attorneys (gov.uk, removing an attorney, as at July 2026, subject to change). Whether this works can depend on how the LPA was set up.

How your attorneys were appointed matters here. Where attorneys were appointed to act "jointly" for all decisions, removing one can end the whole LPA unless a replacement attorney was named, whereas a "jointly and severally" appointment can usually continue with the remaining attorneys (gov.uk, removing an attorney, as at July 2026, subject to change). Because the outcome turns on the original wording, it can be worth discussing with a qualified professional before acting. Our note on attorney duties explains what an attorney can and cannot do.

What you want to do	Document	Sent to
Cancel the whole LPA	Deed of revocation	Office of the Public Guardian, with the original LPA
Remove one attorney	Partial deed of revocation	Office of the Public Guardian, with notice to attorneys
Add an attorney	Not possible on an existing LPA; end it and make a new one	Office of the Public Guardian for the revocation, then registration of the new LPA

What you want to do

Document

Sent to

Cancel the whole LPA

Deed of revocation

Office of the Public Guardian, with the original LPA

Remove one attorney

Partial deed of revocation

Office of the Public Guardian, with notice to attorneys

Add an attorney

Not possible on an existing LPA; end it and make a new one

Office of the Public Guardian for the revocation, then registration of the new LPA

When a lasting power of attorney ends by itself

An LPA can also come to an end without a deed of revocation. It generally ends automatically in certain situations affecting an attorney, and where no replacement attorney was named, the LPA itself may then end. Common triggers include an attorney dying, losing mental capacity, becoming bankrupt in the case of a property and financial affairs LPA, or being removed by the Court of Protection (gov.uk, end your lasting power of attorney, as at July 2026, subject to change).

Relationship breakdown can matter too. Where a donor's spouse or civil partner is an attorney, divorce or dissolution of the civil partnership generally ends that person's appointment, unless the LPA says otherwise (gov.uk, as at July 2026, subject to change). If this leaves the LPA without a working attorney, many people choose to make a fresh one while they still have capacity.

Revoking a power of attorney in Scotland and Northern Ireland

This guide describes England and Wales. Scotland is different: a power of attorney there is cancelled by sending a revocation notice, with no set style, to the Office of the Public Guardian (Scotland), and the granter must be capable of making the decision (Office of the Public Guardian (Scotland), cancelling your PoA, as at July 2026, subject to change). A full cancellation carries no fee, while a partial revocation attracts a fee (OPG Scotland, as at July 2026, subject to change). Northern Ireland has its own separate system. Where your affairs touch 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 revoke a lasting power of attorney?

In England and Wales, you make a signed and witnessed deed of revocation and send it, with the original LPA, to the Office of the Public Guardian. You can do this at any time while you have the mental capacity to make the decision, whether or not the LPA is registered (gov.uk, as at July 2026, subject to change). Scotland and Northern Ireland use different processes.

Can I cancel an LPA that has already been registered?

Yes. Registration does not stop you cancelling an LPA. For a registered LPA you write a deed of revocation and send it to the Office of the Public Guardian together with the original document, provided you still have mental capacity to make the decision (gov.uk, as at July 2026, subject to change). It can take time for the change to be processed, so keeping records is sensible.

Can I remove one attorney without cancelling the whole LPA?

Often, yes. To remove a single attorney you generally send the Office of the Public Guardian a partial deed of revocation naming that attorney only, and notify your attorneys (gov.uk, as at July 2026, subject to change). Whether the LPA continues can depend on whether attorneys were appointed jointly or jointly and severally, so the wording of your original document matters.

Can I revoke an LPA if I have lost mental capacity?

Generally no. The Office of the Public Guardian requires a donor to have mental capacity to end an LPA, so revocation is not usually possible once capacity has been lost (gov.uk, as at July 2026, subject to change). Where there are concerns about an attorney in that situation, the matter is usually raised with the Office of the Public Guardian or the Court of Protection instead.

Do I need a solicitor to revoke an LPA?

Not necessarily. Gov.uk provides suggested wording for a deed of revocation that many people complete themselves (gov.uk, as at July 2026, subject to change). Where the appointment is complex, an attorney is disputing the change, or you are unsure of the effect on a jointly appointed LPA, some people choose to take advice from a solicitor before acting.

What happens after I send the deed of revocation?

The Office of the Public Guardian updates its records and the LPA no longer has effect once the revocation takes place, so the former attorneys can no longer act (gov.uk, as at July 2026, subject to change). Many people then tell banks and others who held a copy, and, if they still want an attorney in place, make and register a new LPA while they have capacity.

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.

How to Revoke a Lasting Power of Attorney