Lasting Powers of Attorney Refund Scheme

The Office of the Public Guardian has announced that they are partially refunding Court fees paid for registering Lasting Powers of Attorney since 2013.

Prior to the 1st March 2017 the fees were £110 per power. On the 1st March 2017 the fees were reduced to £82 per power. At that time there was no indicator that any previously paid fees would be affected by this reduction.

Today Martin Lewis addressed this issue on GMBTV confirming that the OPG are refunding a proportion of fees paid in respect of all Lasting Powers of Attorney registered between the 1st April 2013 and the 1st March 2017. The exact amount refunded depends on when your Lasting powers of Attorney were registered.

Only the Donor or an Attorney can apply for the refund which is paid directly to the Donor.

To find out if you qualify, visit https://www.gov.uk/power-of-attorney-refund where the scale of refunds is set out and from where an application for a refund can be made on line. Alternatively you can telephone the Office of the Public Guardian on 03004560300 choosing option 6.

In 2023 there were 122 contested probate cases, up from 116 cases in 2022, according to the Ministry of Justice Family Court Statistics.

Philip Collins, Partner at Winckworth Sherwood, said that it “isn’t at all surprising” that there has been a rise in contested probate claims. He said: “We know that significant amounts of wealth, often tied up in property, is currently being passed down to younger generations. Inherited wealth is becoming increasingly important and can often […]