A power of attorney has two costs: the fee to register it, and the fee for preparing it. Only one of them is fixed.
The registration fee
The Office of the Public Guardian charges £99 to register a power of attorney from 1 April 2026. Registration is compulsory. Your attorney has no authority to act until the document is registered.
The fee goes up from time to time, usually in April, so check the current figure on the Public Guardian's site. It may be waived for some people. The Public Guardian publishes the exemption rules.
The legal fee
Solicitors set their own fees, so there is no standard price. The fee normally covers taking your instructions, preparing the document, the certificate that confirms you understand what you are signing, and submitting it for registration. Some firms charge more if they have to visit you at home or in a care home.
Ask for a fixed quote in writing before you commit. It should say what is included and whether the registration fee is on top.
Doing it yourself
The law lets you prepare your own power of attorney, and the Public Guardian publishes sample documents. It still has to carry a certificate from a practising solicitor, a member of the Faculty of Advocates or a registered doctor. That person must interview you immediately before you sign and be satisfied that you understand what you are granting and aren't under pressure.
The certifier can't be the person you are appointing. Errors in the wording are the usual risk. A document that doesn't give the right powers, or that doesn't match the certificate, can be rejected or fail when your attorney needs it.
Help with the cost
Legal advice and assistance is a form of legal aid that can pay for a solicitor's time on a power of attorney if your income and savings are low enough. The Scottish Legal Aid Board checks eligibility. Say so when you first contact a firm, because not every solicitor does this work.
What it costs compared with not having one
Without a power of attorney, a family may have to apply to the sheriff court for a guardianship order. That involves court fees, two medical reports, legal fees and a separate registration fee of £110 from April 2026, followed by annual accounts for a financial guardian. That is usually a much larger bill than a power of attorney, and it takes longer. Our guide on guardianship orders sets out the process.
Questions to put to a solicitor
- What exactly does the fee include?
- Will my continuing and welfare powers be one document or two, and what does that do to the registration cost?
- Is there an extra charge for a home visit?
- Does the quote include VAT?
- Who pays the registration fee, and when?
- How long will it take from first meeting to registration?
Richard arranges powers of attorney through our specialist legal partners and sees them through to registration. Our Power of Attorney page has the details. To see what each power does, read our guide to continuing and welfare powers of attorney.