OPG Online Tool vs Using a Service Like myLPA: Which is Better?

OPG Online Tool vs myLPA: Which Route Should You Take?

The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) provides a free online tool at gov.uk that lets you create a Lasting Power of Attorney yourself. At first glance, this seems like the obvious choice — why pay anything when you can do it for free?

But as with most things in life, "free" comes with trade-offs. Let us compare the two options honestly so you can make the right choice.

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The Two Options at a Glance

Feature	OPG Online Tool (DIY)	myLPA Service

Service cost	Free	£74 per LPA
OPG registration fee	£82 per LPA	£82 per LPA
Expert review	No	Yes — every document checked
Guided process	Basic	Comprehensive, step-by-step
Error checking	Minimal	Thorough, before submission
Help if you get stuck	OPG helpline (limited hours)	Full support included
Rejection rate	Higher (industry average ~10-15%)	Significantly lower
Time to complete	1–3 hours	~15 minutes

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The DIY Route: What It Is Really Like

The OPG online tool is functional, but it was designed as a government form — not as a user-friendly experience. Here is what you can expect.

The Process

You create an account on the gov.uk LPA website

You work through a series of questions about your attorneys, preferences, and restrictions

You fill in details for your certificate provider

You generate the LPA document as a PDF

You print the document (it can be 15-20 pages)

You arrange signing in the correct order (this is critical)

You post the signed document to the OPG with your registration fee

You wait for registration

Where People Struggle

The process sounds simple enough, but the reality is different. Here are the most common problems:

Understanding legal terminology: The OPG tool uses legal language that can be confusing. What exactly is a "replacement attorney"? What does "jointly and severally" mean? What restrictions should you include? Without guidance, many people either skip important options or make choices they do not fully understand.

Choosing the right preferences and restrictions: This is where most mistakes happen. The LPA allows you to set conditions on how your attorneys can act. Get this wrong and your LPA may not work as you intended — or it could be rejected entirely.

Signing order errors: LPAs must be signed in a specific order: donor first, then certificate provider, then attorneys. If anyone signs out of order, the entire document is invalid and you must start again. This is the single most common reason for OPG rejections.

Witness requirements: Each signature needs specific witnesses. The rules about who can witness which signature are surprisingly complex. Getting this wrong invalidates the document.

Certificate provider issues: Your certificate provider must meet specific criteria, and their statement must be completed correctly. Many DIY LPAs are rejected because the certificate provider section is wrong.

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Common Mistakes People Make Doing It Themselves

Based on OPG data and our own experience, these are the errors that catch people out:

1. Signing in the Wrong Order

The LPA has a strict signing sequence. The donor must sign first. If your attorney signs before you do, the entire LPA is invalid.

2. Using the Wrong Witnesses

Your certificate provider cannot also be a witness. Attorneys cannot witness the donor's signature. These rules trip up many people.

3. Incorrect Dates

Dates must follow the signing order. If a witness date is before the signature date it is witnessing, the LPA will be rejected.

4. Poorly Drafted Preferences and Restrictions

Unclear or contradictory instructions can make an LPA unworkable. For example, requiring attorneys to act jointly for all decisions but then specifying individual spending limits creates a conflict.

5. Missing Information

Leaving fields blank or incomplete — even ones that seem optional — can lead to rejection.

6. Certificate Provider Errors

Choosing someone who does not qualify, or having them complete their section incorrectly, is a common problem that voids the entire document.

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The Rejection Problem

When an LPA is rejected by the OPG, it means:

Your registration fee may be lost (though the OPG sometimes allows resubmission)
You have to start the process again — often from scratch
Weeks or months of delay while you correct and resubmit
Additional stress and frustration during what may already be a difficult time

The OPG rejection rate for LPAs is around 10-15%. That means roughly 1 in 8 LPAs submitted has a problem significant enough to require correction or resubmission.

With myLPA, our expert review catches these errors before your document is submitted. Our rejection rate is a fraction of the industry average.

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Time Comparison: How Long Does Each Route Take?

Time Factor

OPG DIY Tool

myLPA

Learning how LPAs work	1–2 hours research	Built into our guided process
Completing the forms	1–3 hours	~15 minutes
Understanding your options	Varies — could be hours	Clear explanations throughout
Arranging signing	You manage it yourself	We provide step-by-step guidance
Posting documents	You handle printing and posting	We handle submission
Total active time	4–8 hours	Under 1 hour

When you factor in the time spent researching, understanding the process, and fixing errors, the DIY route often takes significantly longer than people expect.

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The myLPA Experience

Here is what the process looks like with myLPA:

Answer our guided questionnaire (~15 minutes) — Plain English questions, not legal jargon. We explain every option clearly.

We review your document — Our team checks for errors, inconsistencies, and potential issues.

We send you clear signing instructions — Exactly who signs what, when, and with which witnesses.

We handle submission — We take care of the OPG registration process.

We follow up — We track your registration and let you know when it is complete.

What You Get for £74

Expert-guided LPA creation
Full document review before submission
Clear signing instructions
Error correction before submission
Support if you have questions
OPG submission handling
Registration tracking

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Is Saving £74 Worth the Risk?

Let us be direct: the OPG tool works, and many people successfully create their own LPAs. But consider what £74 actually buys you:

Peace of mind: Knowing your LPA has been checked by experts before submission.

Time savings: Completing the process in 15 minutes instead of several hours.

Lower rejection risk: Dramatically reducing the chance of errors that cause delays or rejections.

Clear guidance: Understanding every choice you make and why it matters.

Support when you need it: Having someone to turn to if you get stuck.

For context, £74 is roughly:

The cost of a family takeaway
Less than a tank of petrol
About two hours of a solicitor's time

Against that, a rejected LPA could cost you weeks of delay and potentially another £82 registration fee if you have to resubmit.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I really make an LPA completely free?

You can create the LPA document for free using the OPG tool, but you still have to pay the £82 registration fee per LPA. So the true minimum cost is £82 for one LPA or £164 for both types.

Is the OPG tool difficult to use?

It is functional but not particularly user-friendly. If you are comfortable with online forms and willing to research the legal requirements, you can manage. If you want guided support, myLPA is the easier option.

What if I start with the OPG tool and get stuck?

You can switch to myLPA at any point. Many of our customers come to us after starting the DIY route and finding it more complex than expected.

Is an LPA from myLPA different from one made on the OPG tool?

No. The legal document is identical. The difference is the guidance and checking you receive along the way.

What about using a solicitor instead?

A solicitor will charge £300–£500+ per LPA. That is significantly more than myLPA's £74, for the same legal document. See our myLPA vs solicitor comparison for a full breakdown.

Do I still pay the OPG registration fee with myLPA?

Yes. The £82 OPG registration fee is a government charge that applies regardless of how you create your LPA. myLPA's £74 fee is for our service on top of this.

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The Verdict: myLPA is the Sweet Spot

The OPG tool is free but complex. Solicitors are thorough but expensive. myLPA sits in the sweet spot — expert guidance and document review at a price that makes sense.

For just £74 per LPA, you get the confidence of professional review without the price tag of a solicitor.

The choice is yours, but thousands of UK families have already discovered that myLPA offers the best value for creating their Lasting Power of Attorney.

Start Your LPA Today — Just £74 →

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Not Ready to Start Yet?

That is perfectly fine. Take your time to research and consider your options. When you are ready, myLPA will be here — and the process takes just 15 minutes.

Learn More About How It Works →