I have power of attorney for my mother; can I spend her money on myself?
11 Feb 2026
Case Study
A daughter recently admitted in court that she ‘plundered’ her mother’s bank account when acting as her attorney under a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA). She says she misunderstood what having power of attorney entitled her to do and it was not a deliberate act.
Mrs Thomas used her mother’s money to pay for her own daughter’s wedding at the Savoy, meals at the Ivy and holidays. She also transferred a £1.7 million property to herself and her husband. This resulted in halving the value of her £5 million estate before she died in 2020.
Mrs Thomas has been taken to court by her brother and is set to go to the High Court for a 12-day trial.
How does this affect me?
This highlights how important it is that your attorneys understand their role when a Lasting Power of Attorney is made. Many do not understand this when the documents are prepared online and without the assistance of specialists.
When you make an LPA with us, we welcome your attorneys to attend appointments with you. We can also then advise them on what can (and can’t) be done under the power of attorney and provide them with guidance.
We also offer a fixed fee advice appointment for attorneys whose loved ones did not use us to make their LPAs but want some guidance about what their responsibilities are.
Our fees are set out below. We appreciate this seems a lot, but the peace of mind achieved by ensuring everyone is fully informed is invaluable.
| One LPA (health OR finances): | £500 + VAT |
| Two LPAs (health AND finances): | £675 + VAT |
| Two LPAs (health AND finances) for couple: | £1,200 + VAT |
| Registration fee payable to the Office of the Public Guardian for registering each LPA – £92. | |
Achieve peace of mind today and call us on 01268 565769 to book an appointment at our Benfleet office. Our friendly team are here to help and provide any further information you may need.