The Lasting Power of Attorney
decision log that actually protects you
As an attorney under a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA), the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) can ask you to account for every significant decision at any time. Wardly helps you record them properly — in plain English, with AI assistance, tamper-evident and fully compliant with the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
Free to start. No credit card required.
AI-assisted drafting
Type rough notes, get a properly framed best interests record in seconds.
MCA 2005 compliant
Every entry captures what the Mental Capacity Act requires: alternatives, best interests, who was consulted.
Tamper-evident chain
Decisions are chained with SHA-256 hashes. Any modification is detectable, giving you an audit trail the OPG trusts.
Your evidence pack
When you need to show your working — to the OPG, to family, or in a dispute — your records are ready to go.
Your duty as a Lasting Power of Attorney attorney — and the risk of getting it wrong
When someone grants you Lasting Power of Attorney, they are placing enormous trust in you. The Mental Capacity Act 2005 requires you to make decisions in their best interests, consider alternatives, and involve the right people. But the law also expects you to be able to prove you did all of this.
The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) has the power to investigate any attorney at any time. If a family member raises a concern, or if there is a dispute about how funds have been managed, you will need a clear, dated, tamper-evident record of every decision. A spreadsheet or a folder of notes is rarely enough.
OPG investigations
Rising year-on-year
Complaints to the OPG have increased every year since 2020.
Court of Protection
Can remove you
Attorneys can be removed and prosecuted for misuse — even unintentional.
Your protection
Good records
A complete, timestamped decision log is your strongest defence.
How Wardly works
From rough notes to a legally compliant record in under two minutes.
Describe what happened
Write a few sentences in plain English about the decision — what you decided, why, and who you spoke to. No legal language needed.
AI drafts the record
Wardly turns your notes into a properly structured best interests record covering all the Mental Capacity Act requirements. You review it and edit freely.
Saved, signed, and protected
The record is saved with a cryptographic hash linking it to every previous decision. Any future modification is immediately detectable — your audit trail is secure.
Everything a Lasting Power of Attorney attorney needs
Built specifically for attorneys managing a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) in England and Wales — covering both Property & Financial Affairs and Health & Welfare LPAs.
How we protect your data
You’re entrusting us with legally significant records. Here’s exactly what we do to keep them safe.
Tamper-evident hash chain
Every decision is signed with a SHA-256 hash linked to the previous record. Any modification — even a single character — breaks the chain and is immediately detectable.
Encrypted authentication
Sign-in is handled by Clerk — an enterprise-grade auth provider. We never store your password. All sessions use short-lived, signed tokens.
Your data stays yours
Your records are stored on Neon (ISO 27001 certified, EU-hosted). You can export everything or delete your account at any time from your account settings.
Access controls on every record
Every API request verifies you have permission to access each donor’s data. Co-attorneys can only see what they’re explicitly invited to see.
Wardly is operated by Robarts Fox Ltd, registered in England & Wales. We are UK GDPR compliant. Payments are processed by Stripe — we never see or store your card details. Read our Privacy Policy →
Common questions about LPA record keeping
Answers to what attorneys ask most often.
Do I need to keep records as an attorney under a Lasting Power of Attorney?
Yes. As an attorney under a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA), you have a legal duty to keep records of significant decisions you make on the donor's behalf. The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) can request to see your records at any time, and you must be able to demonstrate that every decision was made in the donor's best interests under the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
What records does an LPA attorney need to keep?
Attorneys should keep records of: every significant decision made on behalf of the donor; the best interests reasoning behind each decision; alternatives that were considered and rejected; who was consulted (family, doctors, social workers); and any relevant financial transactions. For property and financial LPAs, you must also keep accounts showing income and expenditure.
What is best interests decision-making under the Mental Capacity Act?
Section 4 of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 requires attorneys to make decisions in the donor's best interests. This means considering what the donor would have wanted, involving them as much as possible, consulting relevant family members and professionals, and always choosing the least restrictive option. You must be able to document this reasoning for each significant decision — that is exactly what Wardly helps you do.
What happens if an LPA attorney does not keep records?
If you fail to keep adequate records, the OPG can investigate you, restrict your powers as attorney, or apply to the Court of Protection to have you removed. In serious cases, misuse of an LPA — even through poor record-keeping rather than deliberate dishonesty — can be treated as financial or welfare abuse. Good records are your best protection.
Can I use AI to help write LPA decision records?
Yes. AI can help you turn rough notes into clearly written, compliant decision records. Wardly uses AI to structure your notes into a properly formatted best interests record that addresses the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. You review and approve everything before anything is saved — the final record is always yours.
How long do I need to keep LPA records?
There is no fixed statutory period, but it is strongly recommended to keep LPA records for at least seven years after the LPA ends — whether because the donor has passed away, the LPA has been revoked, or your role as attorney has ended. The OPG can investigate complaints and conduct compliance visits throughout that period.
What is the OPG and what powers does it have?
The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) is the government body in England and Wales that supervises attorneys and deputies. It can investigate complaints about how an attorney is acting, conduct compliance visits, request to see records and accounts, and refer cases to the Court of Protection. Thorough, dated, tamper-evident records are your strongest defence if the OPG ever contacts you.
Is Wardly suitable for both types of LPA?
Yes. Wardly supports both Property & Financial Affairs LPAs and Health & Welfare LPAs. Each type has its own decision categories, and the financial module includes income and expense tracking with annual accounts in the OPG PA11 format — specifically for property and financial attorneys.
Start keeping proper LPA records today
Free to start. No credit card required. Takes about two minutes to set up.
Create your free account →Questions? Email us at hello@wardly.co.uk