Choosing Attorneys, Who Can I Appoint and Can I Have More Than One?
Choosing people to act under a Lasting Power of Attorney is not simply a question of who you love most.
Choosing people to act under a Lasting Power of Attorney is not simply a question of who you love most.
You are potentially asking somebody to handle your money, speak with banks and care professionals, understand your wishes, make difficult decisions and sometimes disagree with other members of the family.
For clarity, this guide uses “legal representatives under an LPA” in ordinary language. The formal legal term used in the legislation and official forms is “attorneys”.
Trust matters, but so does capability
A trustworthy person may still be a poor choice for a particular role if they struggle with paperwork, live in circumstances that make the role impractical or find financial matters overwhelming.
For a health and welfare role, you might think about whether the person understands what matters to you and could calmly advocate for your wishes during a difficult care or medical discussion.
For finances, reliability, record-keeping and willingness to deal with organisations can matter.
Think about family dynamics before they become a crisis
If you appoint two siblings who have barely spoken for years, requiring them to agree on every decision may create practical problems.
Equally, giving one person significant responsibility where other relatives deeply distrust them may create conflict even if the appointment is entirely proper.
This does not mean family disagreement should dictate your choice. It means it is worth thinking honestly about how the arrangement would operate in real life.
More than one person can be appointed
An LPA can appoint more than one person.
The document can require them to act jointly for decisions, allow them to act jointly and severally, or use a combination for different decisions.
Those phrases have important legal consequences, including what may happen if one appointed person can no longer act.
MH360 should not recommend which arrangement to choose. This is a good example of a drafting decision to discuss with a professionally qualified adviser.
Should the financial and welfare representatives be the same people?
They can be, but they do not have to be.
One person may understand finances while another is better placed to deal with care and welfare.
If different people hold the roles, they may still need to communicate. A decision about selling a house, for example, can be financially within one role while being closely connected to a decision about where the person will live.
Ask them before appointing them
A person should know what you are asking of them.
Talk about your priorities, important relationships, attitudes to money, preferences about care and anything else that would help them understand you rather than merely manage a document.
Government guidance encourages people appointed under LPAs to learn about the donor’s wishes before they need to act.
Consider what happens if your first choice cannot act
People die, become ill, move away or decide they cannot continue.
An LPA can include replacement appointments, but the way appointments are structured can affect what happens when somebody stops acting.
This is another area where careful drafting matters. Explain the outcome you want to a qualified adviser rather than trying to reverse-engineer legal wording yourself.
Last reviewed
5 September 2026
Important legal informationThis guide provides general information only and does not constitute legal advice. It is not intended to recommend any particular legal arrangement, course of action or solution. Wills, inheritance, trusts, powers of attorney, mental capacity and related matters can have significant legal and financial consequences, and the appropriate approach will depend on individual circumstances. Professionally qualified legal advice should be sought before making, changing or acting upon important legal arrangements or decisions.