How to Revoke a Lasting Power of Attorney in England and Wales

In short: To revoke a lasting power of attorney in England and Wales, the donor signs a witnessed deed of revocation and sends it, with the original LPA, to the Office of the Public Guardian, then tells the attorneys. This only works while the donor has mental capacity. If capacity has been lost, a registered LPA can only be cancelled by the Court of Protection.

How to revoke a lasting power of attorney if you still have capacity

You can revoke a lasting power of attorney at any time, as long as you have mental capacity to make that decision. In England and Wales, a registered LPA is cancelled by signing a written statement called a deed of revocation and sending it, with the original LPA, to the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG). The GOV.UK pages on ending an LPA do not list a fee for cancelling one, and the OPG can confirm this if you are unsure.

Having capacity means you can understand the decision, hold the information long enough to make it, weigh it up and tell people your choice. Capacity is judged for each decision, so a person with a diagnosis such as dementia may still be able to cancel an LPA on a good day or with support. If there is doubt, our guide to the mental capacity assessment explains how capacity is looked at.

The steps for a donor in England and Wales, as set out by GOV.UK in November 2026, are:

1. Write a deed of revocation using the wording GOV.UK provides.
2. Sign it, date it and have it witnessed. The witness adds their full name and address.
3. Post the deed and the original LPA to the Office of the Public Guardian, PO Box 16185, Birmingham, B2 2WH.
4. Tell your attorneys, and any replacement attorneys, in writing that you are ending the LPA.

Do not try to cancel an old LPA by writing a revocation instruction into a new one. The OPG guide warns that this causes problems and delays the registration of the new LPA. Send the deed of revocation separately. If your LPA was never registered, ask the OPG or a solicitor how to record the cancellation.

What a deed of revocation must say

A deed of revocation is the document you use to revoke a lasting power of attorney. It is a short signed statement, and GOV.UK provides template wording to follow. The key sentence in the template reads: “I revoke the lasting power of attorney and the authority granted by it.”

The deed should include:

• your full name and address as donor
• whether the LPA covers property and financial affairs or health and welfare
• the date you signed the LPA
• the names and addresses of your attorneys
• your signature, the date, and the name, address and signature of a witness

If you hold both types of LPA and want to end both, you need to say clearly which one each deed refers to, or complete a deed for each. Keep a copy of what you send. The OPG will cancel the LPA on its record. For other cancellations GOV.UK says the original is destroyed unless you ask for it back, so include a note and your address if you want it returned.

Revoking an LPA is a legal step. If your family is in dispute, or you are unsure whether the wording fits your situation, a solicitor who specialises in this area can check the deed before you send it.

Who to tell after you revoke a lasting power of attorney

After you cancel a power of attorney, or any time you revoke a lasting power of attorney, tell your attorneys in writing and tell any organisation that has already accepted the LPA. GOV.UK says you must tell your attorney or attorneys that you are ending the LPA, in addition to sending the deed to the OPG.

If you cancel a property and financial affairs LPA, contact each bank, building society and any other organisation that holds your money or investments. A bank that has accepted the LPA may keep acting on it until it is told otherwise, so do not leave it to chance. GOV.UK guidance on managing a bank account for someone else does not set out a standard process for revocation, so ask each bank what it needs. Expect to be asked for something in writing and proof of identity, but practice varies.

Tell other people who might rely on the LPA too, such as:

• your GP surgery, hospital team or care home, if you hold a health and welfare LPA
• your care provider, if an attorney arranged or pays for your care
• solicitors, accountants, pension providers and insurers
• the local authority, if an attorney has been dealing with a financial assessment

Ask your attorneys to stop acting straight away and to return any bank cards, cheque books and documents they hold for you.

Revoking one attorney, and what replacement attorneys can do

You can remove one attorney without ending the whole LPA, provided your LPA is registered and you still have mental capacity. To do this you send the OPG a partial deed of revocation, together with the original LPA. The template wording on GOV.UK reads: “I hereby revoke [attorney’s name] ONLY from the lasting power of attorney.” It needs your signature, the date and a witness with their full name and address.

This is the only way to change who your attorneys are. If you would rather revoke a lasting power of attorney completely and start again, that is possible too. You cannot add a new attorney to an existing LPA. GOV.UK states that if you want to add another attorney, you need to end your LPA and make a new one. Our guide on how to get power of attorney describes the process of making a new LPA.

Replacement attorneys are named in the original LPA, and they take over only when the attorney they replace can no longer act. The OPG guide says a replacement attorney can act only if the original attorney is permanently unable to make decisions, and cannot stand in temporarily. Where an attorney is removed by the donor, or must stop for one of the reasons below, a named replacement takes over. If there is no replacement, other ways of supporting the donor in making decisions may be needed, which can include a new LPA while the donor has capacity.

Do not write on or alter the LPA itself, as that can make it invalid. Changes go through the OPG.

Other ways a lasting power of attorney ends

You can end an LPA yourself, but it can also end without any action by the donor, so a donor does not always need to revoke a lasting power of attorney for it to stop. GOV.UK lists the other situations in which an LPA, or one attorney’s role, comes to an end. Where the end is not obvious, contact the OPG on 0300 456 0300 (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9am to 5pm, Wednesday 10am to 5pm).

When the donor dies

The LPA ends automatically on the donor’s death, and the death should be reported to the OPG. After that, the donor’s executors or personal representatives deal with the estate, not the attorney. The attorney should stop using the donor’s accounts and tell the bank, as the bank needs to hear about the death through the usual process.

When an attorney stops

An attorney can choose to stop by completing form LPA005, called a disclaimer, and sending it to the donor, the OPG if the LPA is registered, and any other attorneys. An attorney must stop acting if the donor revokes them, if they lose mental capacity, or if a joint attorney stops and the LPA does not allow the rest to carry on.

If the only attorney dies, the LPA ends unless there are replacement attorneys. Report the death to the OPG and send the original LPA and all certified copies. If attorneys can act jointly and severally, the LPA can continue with the others, but not if they can only act jointly.

Divorce and bankruptcy

If an attorney was the donor’s husband, wife or civil partner and the marriage or partnership legally ends, they lose the role unless the LPA says they can continue. A property and financial affairs attorney who becomes bankrupt, or is subject to a debt relief order, must stop acting. The OPG guide also says a donor’s own bankruptcy or debt relief order affects a property and financial affairs LPA, so take advice from a solicitor or debt adviser if that applies.

If the donor has lost capacity and the LPA needs to end

A donor who has lost capacity can no longer revoke a lasting power of attorney, so the family cannot simply send a deed of revocation. Age UK factsheet 22, dated August 2026, explains that once the donor lacks capacity, a registered LPA can only be cancelled by an order of the Court of Protection.

The court can also decide whether an LPA is valid, and it can end an attorney’s appointment if the attorney is not acting in the donor’s best interests. Concerns about an attorney can also be raised with the OPG, which GOV.UK says can look at complaints about an attorney who is not carrying out their responsibilities properly.

Before going to court, see whether the problem can be solved another way. A replacement attorney may be able to act, other attorneys may be able to carry on, or the attorney concerned may agree to disclaim. If the LPA cannot be used at all, someone has to apply to the Court of Protection for the power to make decisions on the donor’s behalf. Our pages on lasting power of attorney or deputyship and Court of Protection deputyship explain what that involves.

Where you suspect financial abuse or harm, contact the OPG without waiting, and tell the local authority adult safeguarding team or the police if someone is at risk. A solicitor with experience of Court of Protection work can advise on cost and timing.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Wales follows the same lasting power of attorney rules as England, and the OPG deals with both. Scotland and Northern Ireland have different systems, so the steps above do not apply there.

In Scotland, a continuing power of attorney covers money and property, and a welfare power of attorney covers welfare decisions once the person has lost capacity, according to the Scottish government. See our page on power of attorney in Scotland and speak to a Scottish solicitor about revoking one. In Northern Ireland, an enduring power of attorney covers financial matters only, and NI Direct says it can be cancelled or changed at any time while the person can make their own decisions. Our page on the enduring power of attorney in Northern Ireland has more. This is general information, and a solicitor can advise on your own circumstances.

Frequently asked questions

Can I cancel a lasting power of attorney myself?

Yes, if you are the donor and have mental capacity to make that decision. You sign and date a deed of revocation, have it witnessed, and send it with the original LPA to the Office of the Public Guardian. You must also tell your attorneys in writing that you are ending it.

Can I cancel an LPA if I have dementia?

It depends on whether you can make that particular decision at that moment. Capacity is judged for each decision, so some people with dementia can still cancel an LPA. If you cannot, only the Court of Protection can cancel a registered LPA. A solicitor can help if capacity is in doubt.

What happens to a lasting power of attorney when the donor dies?

It ends automatically when the donor dies, and the death should be reported to the Office of the Public Guardian. The attorney’s authority stops, and the donor’s executors or personal representatives deal with the estate instead. The attorney should tell the banks and stop using the donor’s accounts.

Can an attorney decide to stop acting?

Yes. An attorney can give up the role by completing form LPA005, called a disclaimer, and sending it to the donor, any other attorneys, and the Office of the Public Guardian if the LPA is registered. Any replacement attorneys named in the LPA then take over.

Does divorce cancel a lasting power of attorney?

Divorce or the end of a civil partnership removes an attorney who was the donor’s husband, wife or civil partner, unless the LPA says they can keep acting. The LPA itself continues, so other attorneys or replacements can act. Check what the LPA says in its instructions section.

Do I need to tell the bank if I revoke a lasting power of attorney?

Yes, tell every bank and organisation that has accepted the LPA. GOV.UK does not set out a standard process, so ask each one what it needs. A copy of the deed and proof of identity are usual starting points, but practice varies between banks.

Can I remove just one attorney from my LPA?

Yes, if the LPA is registered and you have capacity. You send the Office of the Public Guardian a signed, witnessed partial deed of revocation with the original LPA. You cannot add an attorney, because that needs the LPA to be ended and a new one made.

Official sources

• GOV.UK: End your lasting power of attorney
• GOV.UK: Change your lasting power of attorney (removing an attorney)
• GOV.UK: Changes you need to report to the OPG
• GOV.UK: Lasting power of attorney, acting as an attorney (stopping)
• GOV.UK: Disclaim a lasting power of attorney (LPA005)
• GOV.UK: Make and register your lasting power of attorney, a guide (LP12)
• Age UK: Factsheet 22, Arranging for someone to make decisions on your behalf (August 2026)
• NI Direct: Managing your affairs and enduring power of attorney
• mygov.scot: Power of attorney

This page is general information, not legal, medical or financial advice. The Care Panel is an independent guide and is not part of any government body or care provider. Last checked 9 November 2026.

Related: Lasting power of attorney explained · Lasting power of attorney cost · Health and welfare lasting power of attorney

See also: What Happens If You Have No Power of Attorney in England

Reviewed by The Care Panel team on 9 November 2026. This guide is general information about care in England, not legal, medical or financial advice. Rules and rates change; check with your council or an adviser before making decisions.