Public Guardian (Fees, etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2017

The ​Public Guardian (Fees, etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2017 (SI 2017 No. 503) came into force on 1 April introducing changes to application  for registration fees for lasting powers of attorney. 

The SI amends the Public Guardian (Fees, etc.) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/2051) by reducing the fee for an application to register an enduring, or a lasting, power of attorney from £110 to £82, and likewise reducing the fee for a repeat application to register a lasting power of attorney from £55 to £41. 

According to the accompanying MoJ news release, the reduction has been made possible by the

"high number of applications OPG is processing and efficiencies which have driven down the cost of providing the service. Ministers hope that cutting fees will encourage even more people to take out LPAs, providing peace of mind for themselves and their families."

The news release also sets out some detail about refunds over the transitional period.

Any individual who recently submitted an LPA or EPA application with a payment of £110 paid after 1 April 2017 will get the difference refunded directly.

For those who applied through a third party such as a solicitor any refunds will be paid into the account of the person who paid the original fee. The solicitor will also be notified.