Who can be my certificate provider?
Written by SmartLPA · Reviewed 1 July 2026
One signature on your LPA belongs to someone who is neither you nor an attorney: the certificate provider. It's a small-looking role with strict rules, and getting it wrong is one of the common reasons the OPG rejects applications.
This guide content is currently in draft. We’re preparing it for review before launch. If you’re making an LPA now, always cross-reference with the OPG’s official guidance at gov.uk/power-of-attorney.
What the certificate provider does
The certificate provider is an independent safeguard. By signing, they confirm two things: that you understand what the LPA is and the powers it grants, and that you're making it freely, without pressure or fraud. They should speak with you about it, ideally one-to-one, before signing.
Two ways to qualify
Route one is personal knowledge: someone who has known you personally for at least two years, a friend, neighbour or colleague who knows you well enough to judge that you understand what you're doing. Route two is professional skill: someone whose profession equips them to assess understanding, such as a GP or other registered healthcare professional, a solicitor, or a registered social worker.
Who's excluded
Independence is the point, so the exclusion list is wide. Your certificate provider can't be: one of your attorneys or replacement attorneys; a member of your family or your attorneys' families (including partners); your or your attorneys' business partner or employee; or an owner, manager or employee of a care home where you live (or their family). If there's any doubt about independence, the safest answer is a different person.
Why this matters
The OPG checks the certificate provider's eligibility, and a provider who falls into an excluded category invalidates the application, after you've signed everything and paid the registration fee. SmartLPA's checks flag the common exclusions while you're still drafting, when the fix costs nothing.
Ready to put it in place?
Answer guided questions, pass every OPG structural check, and download your completed LPA, from £59.