What is the best way to activate and use your LPA online?

24 min read

Last verified: March 2026 (England & Wales)

You already have the registered Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA). This page is about the next step: how to use it online in the simplest, least stressful way.

For most people, this is much easier than it first sounds.

You are not changing the legal document. You are simply setting up the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) online service so a bank, doctor, insurer, utility company, care provider or other company can check the LPA quickly without you sending the original document around.

If you have the right letter in front of you, the first setup is often done in a few minutes. You do not need legal knowledge to do this. In most cases, you are simply signing in, typing in the right code from the right letter, and then creating a short code to give to a bank or other organisation.

See the VIDEO of short walkthrough: what the reference number, activation key and V-code are, and how to do the first setup.

Quick answer

If you want the shortest version, this is it:

Each LPA is separate. If you have both a Property and Financial Affairs LPA and a Health and Welfare LPA, treat them separately.
To add an LPA online, you usually need the 12-digit LPA reference number and the activation key from the OPG letter.
Once the LPA is added, you create a V-code access code when a bank or other organisation needs to check it.
You do not need to tell every organisation in one sitting.
Most people do the important ones first, then add others gradually over time.
Some companies still ask for a certified paper copy, so keep one available if you can.

Start here first

Before you sit down at the computer, put these in front of you:

the registered LPA, or a clear copy of it
the OPG letter that came with the registered LPA
your email address and password for GOV.UK One Login, or a note of the email address you want to use
your date of birth (If you are an attorney, this is your date of birth, not the donor’s.)
a pen and paper, or a simple note on your phone, so you can keep track of who you have dealt with

Tip: use a laptop or desktop computer if you can. The service can work on a mobile phone, but it is usually easier on a bigger screen.

The three things people often mix up

This is the part that confuses most people, so keep it simple.

LPA reference numbers Fern Wills Info graphic

Simple guide: the reference number identifies the LPA, the activation key adds it to your account, and the V-code is the one you give to the bank or other organisation.

1) The LPA reference number

This identifies the LPA itself.

It has 12 digits.

If you have two LPAs, you will normally have two different reference numbers.

2) The activation key

For the same LPA, the reference number stays the same. The activation key is different for each named person (the donor and each attorney). Use the activation key from the letter addressed to you.

This is the code used to add the LPA to the OPG online system

It usually starts with C.

It is normally found in the letter sent when the LPA was registered.

3) The access code or V-code

This is the temporary code you create later when a bank or other organisation needs to see the LPA online.

It has 13 characters and starts with V.

This is the code you share with the organisation, not the activation key.

The activation key adds the LPA to your account. The V-code is what you give to the organisation afterwards.

Step-by-step: the simplest route

Step 1: Check which LPA you are dealing with

Many people have two LPAs:

Property and Financial Affairs
Health and Welfare

They are separate, so do them one at a time.

A bank usually needs the Property and Financial Affairs LPA.A hospital, care provider or health professional may need the Health and Welfare LPA.

Do not assume one code covers both. It does not.

Step 2: Find the OPG letter

Find the letter sent when the LPA was registered.

This is the letter that usually contains:

the activation key
the LPA reference number

If there is more than one attorney (the person, or people, legally chosen to help the donor), each person should use their own activation key, not someone else’s.

For the same LPA, the reference number stays the same. The activation key is different for each named person (the donor and each attorney). Use the activation key from the letter addressed to you.

If you use somebody else’s key, the account can be created under the wrong person’s name, which causes confusion later.

Step 3: Go to Use a lasting power of attorney (Use an LPA)

This is the official OPG service.

Click the green Start now button.

If you already have a GOV.UK One Login, sign in.

If you do not, create one first.

This is simply your government sign-in account, a bit like creating a login for any other website. You will usually need your email address, and you may be asked to confirm a code sent to you.

Important: this is a separate service from making an LPA. Even if you have used another government service before, you may still need to create or use your GOV.UK One Login here.

Step 4: Add the LPA to your account

This does not change the LPA. It simply links that LPA to your online login so you can use it later.

When the service asks, choose the option to add the LPA.

You will usually be asked for:

your activation key
your date of birth (if you are an attorney, this is your date of birth, not the donor’s)
the LPA reference number

Take your time here.

The most common mistake is mixing up letters or using details from the wrong LPA.

If the service shows you a summary and asks you to confirm it is the right LPA, stop and check it carefully before clicking continue.

Step 5: Once the LPA is added, stop there unless you need to use it straight away

This is the part many people misunderstand.

You do not have to set up every bank, bill, doctor and provider all in one go.

Adding the LPA to your account is the main setup step.

After that, you can come back whenever you need to and create a fresh code for a specific organisation.

That is usually the easiest way to do it.

So if you get tired, confused or short of time, that is fine. Once the LPA has been added properly, you can stop and come back another day.

Step 6: When an organisation needs to see the LPA, create an access code

When you are ready to deal with a bank, insurer, utility company, GP, care provider or other organisation, sign back in and create an access code for that LPA. Here, “organisation” just means the bank, utility company, GP surgery, insurer, council, care provider or other company or service you are dealing with.

This is the V-code.

Then tell the organisation to use View a lasting power of attorney (View an LPA) to check it. In simple terms, you create the V-code, then you give that code to the bank or other organisation, and they use it to look the LPA up.

They will normally need:

the donor’s surname, exactly as shown on the LPA
the V-code

Important: a screenshot or printout is not usually the same as giving them the code. They normally need the code so they can check the LPA in their own system.

Step 7: Make a simple note of who you have told

Keep this very simple.

You only need a short record such as:

Bank name — code created on 3 March 2026
GP surgery — code created on 10 March 2026
Energy supplier — done by phone on 25 March 2026

This helps because access codes expire, and it also stops you repeating yourself.

Who should I tell first?

Do not try to think of everybody at once. Start with the people or companies most likely to matter soon.

Most families do not need to do everything in one day.

A better approach is:

Start with the ones most likely to matter soon

That is often:

the main current account bank
savings provider
gas, electricity or water supplier
council tax
insurer
GP surgery
care provider or hospital team, if relevant

Then work through the rest gradually

As post, bills and emails come in, ask yourself:

Does this organisation need to know about the LPA yet?

If yes, create a fresh code when you are ready and deal with that organisation.

This is usually less stressful than trying to do everything in one sitting.

Use the quick guide as a tick-list

If you want a simple prompt sheet for the most common first contacts, use the printable guide here:

Using a registered LPA with banks and utilities (quick guide)

Before you phone a bank or other organisation

Calls usually go better if you are clear what you want them to do.

For example:

add you as an authorised contact
note the LPA on the account
change the correspondence address
discuss payment arrangements
set up or change direct debits
let you speak to them on the donor’s behalf

Have ready:

the donor’s full name
account number or customer reference
postcode and address
the V-code if you are using the online route

Most organisations will not discuss or change anything until they have verified the LPA.

What if I cannot find the activation key?

Do not panic.

If the key has been lost, or the LPA was registered more than a year ago, the activation key may have expired.

In that case, use Request an activation key.

A replacement key is sent by post, so make sure the address details are right before requesting it.

What if I cannot find the original letter at all?

That is frustrating, but it is common.

If the letter is missing, or the key has expired, request a replacement activation key and wait for the new letter to arrive by post.

Do not guess, and do not keep trying random codes from old paperwork.

What if the organisation wants paper instead?

Some organisations still prefer paper at first contact.

If that happens, you will usually need the registered paper LPA or a correctly certified copy (a photocopy with the legal wording and signature added so it can be accepted as an official copy).

Guidance on certified copies is here: Certify a copy of a lasting power of attorney

If the donor is still able to make their own decisions, they can certify the copy themselves.

If not, a solicitor or notary can usually certify it.

Every page needs the correct wording, and every page must be signed and dated, so do not rush that part.

Common sticking points

These are the issues that most often slow things down:

using the wrong LPA for the task
mixing up the reference number, activation key and V-code
using one attorney’s key in another attorney’s account
giving the organisation a screenshot instead of the V-code
the code has expired
the donor’s surname has been entered incorrectly
the organisation wants a certified paper copy instead
the attorneys must act jointly, which usually means both attorneys need to be involved rather than one doing it alone

Cases

“The bank asked for the original”

An attorney is told to bring the original LPA into branch and is worried it will be posted to a central team or misplaced. The simplest response is: “Can you verify it using the OPG online summary if I give you the V-code?” Many banks can, even if their first script is “bring the original”.

“We used the wrong LPA for the job”

A family shares a code for the Health and Welfare LPA when the task is billing or direct debits. The provider can’t proceed because they need the Property and Financial Affairs LPA. Treat each LPA separately and generate the V-code for the one that matches the task.

“My activation key doesn’t match theirs”

A donor and attorneys compare letters and notice different activation keys. That’s normal. The reference number identifies the LPA, but each named person uses their own activation key to add it to their own login.

“The code expired mid-process”

An organisation comes back weeks later and says the code doesn’t work. V-codes are time-limited. The fix is simple: generate a fresh V-code when the organisation is ready to verify.

“Attorneys must act jointly”

A provider says they need both attorneys involved. If attorneys are appointed jointly, that’s often correct in practice. If it’s jointly and severally, one attorney can usually act alone. If you’re unsure, check the registered LPA wording before you call.

Do I have to tell every single institution?

There is no single master notification.

In practice, each relevant organisation that needs to accept the LPA will usually need to be dealt with separately.

That does not mean you must do them all at once.

It just means banks, insurers, utilities, doctors, care providers and others usually need their own check before they will act on the LPA.

Do I have to do them all in one day?

No.

Most people do the urgent ones first and come back later for the rest.

That is usually the least stressful way to handle it.

Can I do one or two now and come back later?

Yes.

That is often the best approach.

Add the LPA to your account first, then create a fresh V-code whenever another organisation needs to see it.

What if I make a mistake while typing a code?

Usually, you can just go back and try again.

The most common problems are using the wrong LPA, typing the wrong number, or mixing up the activation key and the V-code.

If the screen does not look right, stop and check the letter again before going further.

Does each attorney need their own login?

Usually, yes.

Each named attorney can create their own account and add the LPA using their own activation key.

That is normally better than one person trying to do everything for everybody.

What does the organisation need from me?

Usually:

the donor’s surname
the V-code
enough account details to identify the correct account or case

Some organisations also ask security questions or want extra identification from the attorney.

A simple way to think of it is: they need enough information to find the right person, find the right account, and check the right LPA.

What does the organisation see online?

They see a one-page summary showing the key details of the LPA, including whether it is valid and registered, who the attorneys are, how decisions are made, and any instructions or restrictions.

How long does a V-code last?

It is normally valid for 30 days from the day you create it.

If it expires, simply create a fresh one when needed.

What if I have two LPAs?

Treat them separately.

A Property and Financial Affairs LPA and a Health and Welfare LPA each need their own setup and their own code when required.

Can older LPAs use the online service?

Not always.

If the LPA was registered before 1 January 2016, you cannot use the online service for that LPA.

You will need to use the paper document or a certified copy instead.

Can I use this if I am the donor, not the attorney?