Court of Protection Application Fee
The Court of Protection application fee is the number families focus on. It's the wrong number to focus on — the ongoing annual costs dwarf the initial filing fee, and most families don't realise this until after they've started.
The Application Fee
From 13 July 2026, the standard Court of Protection application fee is £432. This covers the court's processing of your COP1 application to appoint a deputy for a person who has lost mental capacity.
If the court decides a hearing is necessary — typically because another family member has objected or there's a dispute about who should be deputy — an additional £266 hearing fee is payable.
Fee Remission
If the person who has lost capacity ("P") has limited finances, you can apply for help with court fees using Form COP44A. The assessment is based on P's financial situation, not yours. P is typically ineligible if their savings exceed £16,000.
If P qualifies, the court may waive or reduce the application fee. The remission application should be submitted alongside your COP1 packet to avoid paying the full fee upfront and claiming a refund later.
The Full First-Year Cost
The application fee is just the start. Here is what a straightforward, uncontested property and affairs deputyship typically costs in the first year:
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| COP3 capacity assessment (GP) | £100–£300 |
| Court application fee | £432 |
| OPG deputy assessment fee (one-off) | £100 |
| Security bond premium (first year) | Variable — ~£75 on a £100,000 bond |
| OPG annual supervision fee | £320 (general) or £35 (minimal) |
| Total first year | £1,027–£1,227+ |
And from year two onward, you pay the supervision fee and bond premium every year for as long as the deputyship is in force. For a parent who lives in care for five years, if the bond amount were £200,000, the cumulative cost of supervision and bond premiums adds well over £2,000 to the initial application cost.
Compare this to a pair of LPAs at £184 total with zero ongoing costs.
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What the Fee Doesn't Buy You
The £432 application fee buys you a place in the queue. It does not buy speed. Applications typically take six to twelve months. Contested applications can take twelve months or longer.
During this entire processing period, P's bank accounts remain frozen and you have no legal authority to manage their finances. Families routinely end up paying care home deposits, utility bills, and medical costs out of their own pockets while waiting for the court order.
The fee also doesn't cover the cost of dealing with complications — if the court requests additional evidence, if P needs to be served personally with notice, or if an independent visitor needs to be appointed.
The Alternative That Costs £184
If your parent still has mental capacity — even intermittent capacity during lucid periods — two LPAs cost £184 and take eight to ten weeks. No court involvement, no supervision, no bond, no annual fees.
The England Lasting Power of Attorney & Deputyship Kit includes a side-by-side cost calculator for both routes, the complete COP form filing sequence, and the fee remission application guide — giving families the full financial picture before committing to either path.
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