If someone you love has just been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, put a Lasting Power of Attorney in place now, not later. Two things make speed matter. You can only make an LPA while you still have the mental capacity to understand it, and after a diagnosis that window can narrow without warning.
On top of that, the Office of the Public Guardian takes time to register the document, and an LPA cannot be used until it is registered. The delay and the capacity risk stack on top of each other. Waiting is the one thing that can close the easier route for your family entirely.
How long OPG registration takes in 2026
The OPG’s current guidance says it takes 8 to 10 weeks to process and register an LPA if there are no mistakes in the application. That includes a statutory waiting period of 4 weeks. Errors, objections or unclear instructions can add delay, and some mistakes may require a fresh application.
The online service can help you prepare the forms and track progress, but an LPA still needs to be signed correctly and registered before it has legal effect. You can begin on the official GOV.UK power of attorney service, or have a solicitor prepare it to reduce the risk of rejection.
Picture a common situation in Barnet. Your father is diagnosed in spring, still holds a clear conversation, and agrees that you should manage his affairs if he cannot. You start the LPA in June. Even with a clean application, the usable registered document may not arrive until late summer. Start in autumn instead, and a difficult few months could make capacity much harder to prove.
You can only make an LPA while capacity remains
This is the part families often miss. A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s does not, by itself, remove capacity. Capacity is decision-specific and can fluctuate. Early on, many people can still understand and make an LPA, with a certificate provider confirming they understand what they are signing and are under no pressure.
Waiting risks losing that chance. If capacity has already been lost, you cannot make an LPA for that person. The usual route is then deputyship through the Court of Protection, which is slower, more formal and more expensive. Thinking carefully about the right people to appoint when someone has Alzheimer’s is worth doing while there is still time.
| Feature | Lasting power of attorney | Court of Protection deputyship |
|---|---|---|
| Who chooses | The donor chooses their attorneys | The court appoints the deputy |
| When it can be set up | Only while the donor has capacity | After capacity has been lost |
| Typical timing | 8 to 10 weeks if clean | Usually several months or longer |
| Upfront official cost | £92 per LPA to register | Court application fee, and possible hearing and bond costs |
| Ongoing duties | Attorneys must act properly and in the donor’s best interests | Annual deputy reports and OPG supervision |
The contrast is the whole argument for acting early. An LPA lets your father choose who acts and keeps the process simpler. A deputyship hands that choice to a court and adds supervision, cost and delay.
What to put in place, and in what order
Alongside the LPA, this is the moment to get the wider picture straight.
- Make both types of LPA: property and financial affairs, and health and welfare.
- Review or write a will while capacity is retained, so consider making a will at the same time.
- Consider whether a life interest trust fits, for example to protect a home while providing for a spouse.
- Store the documents safely and tell your attorneys where they are.
- Take advice early if capacity is borderline, so the paperwork can withstand a later challenge.
Good planning now saves your family the slow, costly routes later. When the time comes, clear paperwork makes probate and estate administration far smoother. If relatives fall out over an attorney’s decisions or a contested deputyship, we can help with resolving a family or estate dispute. Where an attorney needs to recover money owed to the person they act for, we can advise on that too. As your North London legal team, we can set up a lasting power of attorney and the documents around it together.
Frequently asked questions
Can you set up a power of attorney for someone with dementia?
Yes, if the person still has the mental capacity to understand and make the LPA when they sign. A diagnosis alone does not prevent it.
How long does it take to register an LPA in 2026?
OPG guidance says 8 to 10 weeks for a clean application, including the statutory waiting period.
Can an LPA be used before it is registered?
No. It cannot be used until the OPG has registered it.
How much does an LPA cost?
The OPG registration fee is £92 per LPA in England and Wales, so £184 for both types. Reductions or exemptions may apply for low income or certain benefits.
Talk to us while there is still time
A diagnosis is a hard moment, and paperwork is rarely the first thing on anyone’s mind. But this is the task where acting quickly changes what your family can do. If you want the LPA prepared properly and registered without avoidable delay, contact Atalaw Solicitors and we will take it from here.