The Ministry of Justice's Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) says that it will refund overcharged fees in respect of processing applications for Powers of Attorney.
From 1 April 2017, the fees for applying to register lasting powers of attorney (LPA) and enduring powers of attorney (EPA) reduce from £110 to £82, with the fee for resubmitting an LPA for registration reducing from £55 to £41.
The reduction is made as government departments are not supposed to make a profit unless they have specific legislative authority.
The OPG has stated they will refund the excess charges, totalling £89 million, to affected persons during the current financial year, with an announcement to follow with details of the refund scheme. It seems likely that refunds will need to be applied for, so people who may be affected should keep an eye out for the refund scheme.
The new fee still exceeds the costs of administering powers of attorney, in order to cover loss making functions of the OPG (e.g. Supervision of court deputies).
