There are two types of power of attorney: a general or ordinary power of attorney and a lasting power of attorney. Both can be revoked, but it can be a little different depending on the type of power of attorney:

Types of Power of Attorney

General/ordinary: Your attorney can look after only your financial or property matters and can only act for you whilst you’re mentally capable and able to understand decisions made for you. If you lose capacity, this is automatically revoked.

Lasting: A lasting power of attorney begins once capacity is lost and covers both financial and property affairs as well as health and well-being. This type of attorney begins at the point you lose mental competence, known as capacity. If you’re assessed to have lost capacity, your LPA can act for you. You can have more than one LPA if you choose to, and you can create a Power Of Attorney Online. The power of attorney online process can sometimes be more cost-effective than a high-street solicitor.

Can a Power of Attorney Be Revoked?

Yes. If you still have mental capacity, you are perfectly able to revoke a power of attorney whenever you choose to. However, if you have a lasting power of attorney, this cannot be revoked if you are deemed to have lost mental capacity at the time. A general power of attorney is slightly different. This type of attorney is designed to serve you whilst you still have capacity and is automatically revoked should you lose it.

How Do I Revoke It?

You can cancel a general/ordinary power of attorney simply by giving your appointed attorney written notice, letting them know that their powers have ended. You must notify them of the change, even if you choose to make a new power of attorney stating your previous one has been revoked. For a lasting power of attorney, you must let your attorneys know you’re revoking their powers or this will not take effect. For a registered LPA, you’ll also need to inform the OPG – Office of the Public Guardian.