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The 7 Legal Documents Every UK Parent Needs (Complete Checklist)

11 min11 Jan 2026

The 7 Legal Documents Every UK Parent Needs (Complete Checklist)

You have life insurance. You have a house. You might even have a pension. But do you have the legal documents that actually protect your children if something happens to you?

62% of UK parents with children under 18 have no will. That means the majority of parents have not legally documented who should raise their children if they die. The court decides instead.

This guide covers every legal document you need, why you need it, what it costs, and exactly how to get it done.

Table of Contents

The 7 Essential Documents {#the-7-essential-documents}

Document 1: Your Will {#document-1-your-will}

What It Is

A will is a legal document that specifies:

  • Who inherits your assets (beneficiaries)
  • Who manages your estate after death (executors)
  • Who raises your children if both parents die (testamentary guardians)
  • How your assets should be distributed
  • Any specific gifts or charitable donations

Why Parents Must Have One

Without a will:

  • Your assets are distributed according to intestacy rules (government formula)
  • Unmarried partners may receive nothing
  • A court decides who raises your children based on who applies
  • The process takes longer and costs more

The guardian issue is critical. Your will is the only legal document where you can name who should raise your children. Godparents have no legal status. Family assumptions mean nothing in court.

What Your Will Must Include

Essential elements:

  1. Executors (1-4 people or a professional): Who administers your estate
  2. Testamentary guardians: Who raises your children (plus backup guardians)
  3. Beneficiaries: Who inherits and in what proportions
  4. Trusts for minors: How children receive inheritance (not as lump sum at 18)
  5. Residuary clause: What happens to assets not specifically mentioned

Optional but recommended:

  • Specific gifts (items to specific people)
  • Charitable legacies
  • Funeral wishes
  • Pet provisions

Legal Requirements for a Valid Will

In England and Wales, your will must be:

  • In writing (typed or handwritten)
  • Signed by you in the presence of two witnesses
  • Signed by both witnesses in your presence
  • Made voluntarily while you have mental capacity

Witnesses cannot:

  • Be beneficiaries of the will
  • Be married to or civil partners of beneficiaries
  • Be blind

Cost Comparison

When to Update Your Will

  • After marriage (automatically revokes existing will)
  • After divorce
  • After birth of a child
  • After death of executor or guardian
  • Significant change in assets
  • Moving to another country
  • Every 3-5 years regardless

Learn more: How to Write a Will UK | Choosing Guardians

Document 2: Property and Financial Affairs LPA {#document-2-property-and-financial-affairs-lpa}

What It Is

A Lasting Power of Attorney for Property and Financial Affairs allows one or more people you choose (attorneys) to make financial decisions on your behalf.

What It Covers

  • Managing bank accounts
  • Paying bills
  • Collecting income and benefits
  • Buying and selling property
  • Managing investments
  • Running a business
  • Making gifts (within guidelines)

Why Parents Need It

Scenario: You have a car accident and are in a coma for three months.

Without LPA: Your partner cannot:

  • Access your bank accounts
  • Pay your share of the mortgage
  • Manage your investments
  • Sell your car

They would need to apply to the Court of Protection for deputyship - costing £400+ and taking months. Meanwhile, bills pile up.

With LPA: Your attorney (likely your partner) can immediately step in and manage everything.

Key Features

When can it be used?

  • Can be used immediately after registration (with your permission)
  • OR only if you lose mental capacity (if you restrict it)

Who should be your attorney?

  • Someone you trust completely
  • Someone capable of managing finances
  • Usually your spouse/partner
  • Consider a professional attorney for complex situations

Backup attorneys are essential. If your only attorney becomes unavailable, you are back to needing a deputy.

How to Get One

Document 3: Health and Welfare LPA {#document-3-health-and-welfare-lpa}

What It Is

A Lasting Power of Attorney for Health and Welfare allows your attorneys to make decisions about your:

  • Medical treatment
  • Where you live
  • Day-to-day care (washing, dressing, eating)
  • Life-sustaining treatment (if you give this authority)

Critical Difference from Property LPA

This LPA can ONLY be used if you lack mental capacity to make the specific decision yourself.

Your attorneys cannot make health decisions for you while you are capable - you retain that right.

Why Parents Need It

Scenario: You have a stroke and cannot communicate. The medical team needs to decide on a risky surgery.

Without LPA: Doctors make the decision based on clinical judgment and what they believe you would want. Your family can be consulted but have no legal authority.

With LPA: Your attorney makes the decision based on your wishes and what they know about your values. They can access your medical records and advocate for you.

Life-Sustaining Treatment Decision

You can give your attorneys authority to make decisions about life-sustaining treatment. This is optional but important.

If you grant this authority: Your attorneys can consent to or refuse treatment designed to keep you alive.

If you do not grant it: Medical professionals make these decisions.

This is a serious choice. Discuss it with your potential attorneys and ensure they understand your wishes.

The Process

Same as Property and Financial LPA:

  1. Complete forms online or with professional help
  2. Arrange certificate provider
  3. Sign in correct order (you, certificate provider, attorneys)
  4. Register with OPG (£82, takes 8-10 weeks)

Important: You can use the same certificate provider and witnesses for both LPAs, but they are separate documents requiring separate registration.

Learn more: LPA Explained | Health vs Financial LPA

Document 4: Letter of Wishes {#document-4-letter-of-wishes}

What It Is

A letter of wishes is a document that supplements your will with guidance for your executors and guardians. It is not legally binding but is taken seriously by all parties.

What to Include

For your guardians:

  • Values and beliefs: What matters to your family, religious or cultural practices
  • Education preferences: Views on schooling, extra-curricular activities
  • Health decisions: Vaccination preferences, dietary requirements, medical history
  • Family relationships: Relatives who should (or should not) stay involved
  • Traditions: Birthdays, holidays, family customs you want continued
  • Discipline approach: Your parenting philosophy
  • Screen time and technology: Your rules and reasoning
  • Messages for your children: What you want them to know at different ages

For your executors:

  • Funeral preferences: Burial vs cremation, service style, music, location
  • Specific items: Who should receive sentimental items not specified in will
  • Digital assets: What should happen to social media, email accounts
  • Pet care: Detailed instructions for animal care

Why It Matters

A will says WHO. A letter of wishes says HOW.

Your guardians may not know:

  • That you always let the kids stay up late on Fridays for movie night
  • That your son is scared of the dark and needs a nightlight
  • That your daughter has a best friend who is essential to her wellbeing
  • That you do not want your children raised with a particular relative's involvement

This document captures everything that cannot fit in a legal will.

How to Create It

  • No legal format required - write naturally
  • Date it and sign it
  • Store it with your will
  • Give a copy to guardians
  • Update it regularly (easier than updating a will)

Document 5: Child Authorisation Letters {#document-5-child-authorisation-letters}

What It Is

A child authorisation letter grants another adult temporary authority to make decisions about your children in your absence. This is especially important for:

  • Medical emergencies while you are away
  • School trips and activities
  • Grandparents or other carers looking after children
  • Travel abroad without both parents

What It Should Include

Essential information:

  • Child's full name, date of birth
  • Your name and relationship to child
  • Name of authorised person and their relationship
  • Dates the authorisation is valid
  • What they are authorised to do (medical treatment, school decisions, etc.)
  • Your signature and date
  • Emergency contact numbers
  • Child's GP details and NHS number
  • Known allergies and medical conditions
  • Medications child is taking

Types of Authorisation Letters

Medical treatment authorisation: For anyone caring for your child regularly (grandparents, nannies, etc.). Allows them to consent to emergency medical treatment.

Travel consent letter: For children travelling with one parent or without parents. Some countries require this; airlines may request it.

School authorisation: Allows someone other than parents to collect children, authorise trips, make minor decisions.

Template Example

PARENTAL CONSENT AND MEDICAL AUTHORISATION

I, [Your Full Name], being the parent/legal guardian of [Child's Full Name]
born on [Date of Birth], hereby authorise [Authorised Person's Name]
to act on my behalf in all matters relating to my child's welfare,
including but not limited to:

- Consenting to necessary medical treatment in an emergency
- Collecting my child from school or activities
- Making day-to-day decisions regarding my child's care

This authorisation is valid from [Start Date] to [End Date].

Child's NHS Number: [Number]
Child's GP: [Name and Address]
Known Allergies: [List or "None known"]
Current Medications: [List or "None"]

Emergency Contact 1: [Name, Relationship, Phone]
Emergency Contact 2: [Name, Relationship, Phone]

Signed: ___________________ Date: ___________
Print Name: [Your Full Name]
Address: [Your Address]
Phone: [Your Phone Number]

Document 6: Advance Decision {#document-6-advance-decision}

What It Is

An advance decision (previously called "living will") records your decisions to refuse specific medical treatments in the future, should you lose capacity to make those decisions yourself.

What It Covers

An advance decision can refuse:

  • Life-sustaining treatment
  • Specific treatments (blood transfusions, certain medications)
  • CPR (Do Not Resuscitate)
  • Artificial nutrition and hydration

Difference from Health and Welfare LPA

Advance Decision: YOU decide now what treatments you want to refuse in specific circumstances.

Health and Welfare LPA: Your attorney decides at the time, based on what they believe you would want.

They work together: If you have both, your advance decision takes precedence for treatments you have specifically refused.

Legal Requirements

For an advance decision to be valid, you must:

  • Be 18 or over
  • Have mental capacity when you make it
  • Understand the consequences of your decisions
  • Not be under pressure from anyone

For life-sustaining treatment refusals, it must also be:

  • In writing
  • Signed and witnessed
  • Include a statement that it applies even if your life is at risk

How to Create One

  1. Consider your values and what matters to you
  2. Think about specific scenarios
  3. Use a template from NHS, Compassion in Dying, or Age UK
  4. Discuss with your GP (not required but helpful)
  5. Sign and have it witnessed
  6. Give copies to GP, attorneys, family
  7. Carry a card saying you have one

Important: Review and re-sign regularly. A very old advance decision may be questioned.

Document 7: Information Document {#document-7-information-document}

What It Is

Not a legal document, but a practical guide containing everything your family would need to know in an emergency or after your death.

What to Include

Financial Information:

  • Bank accounts (bank, account type, rough balance)
  • Savings and investments
  • Pension providers
  • Life insurance policies (including how to claim)
  • Debts and loans
  • Regular bills and direct debits
  • Accountant or financial adviser contacts

Legal Information:

  • Where your will is stored
  • Solicitor contact details
  • LPA registration details
  • Insurance policy documents location

Property:

  • Mortgage details
  • Home insurance policy
  • Utility providers
  • Landlord contact (if renting)
  • Spare keys location

Digital:

  • Password manager access OR key passwords
  • Email accounts
  • Social media wishes
  • Subscription services to cancel
  • Photo storage locations (cloud, external drives)

Practical:

  • Car documentation
  • Pet care instructions
  • Household maintenance contacts (plumber, electrician)
  • Alarm codes

Children:

  • School contact details
  • Teacher names
  • Activities and clubs
  • Friends' parents contact details
  • Medical information
  • Routines and preferences

Personal:

  • Funeral wishes (if not in will)
  • Important contacts to notify
  • Memberships to cancel
  • Personal messages

How to Create It

  • Use a template or create your own
  • Store securely (not with passwords in plain text)
  • Consider password-protecting digital version
  • Tell someone trusted where it is
  • Update annually

Learn more: The 'If I Die' Document Template

Costs and Timeline Summary {#costs-and-timeline-summary}

Total Costs

Low income? LPA registration is free if you earn under £12,000 or receive certain benefits.

Timeline

WeekActivity
Week 1Make key decisions (executors, guardians, attorneys). Begin drafting will and LPAs.
Week 2Complete will signing. Submit LPAs for registration. Write letter of wishes.
Week 3Create child authorisation letters. Consider advance decision. Start information document.
Weeks 4-10LPA registration processing (continue living your life)
Week 10+LPAs registered. Store all documents safely. Annual review in calendar.

Quick Start Action Plan {#quick-start-action-plan}

Frequently Asked Questions {#frequently-asked-questions}

Key Takeaways

  • 7 documents, 3 weeks, under £1,000: The complete set of legal documents every parent needs
  • Will + guardians is non-negotiable: This is the only legal way to say who raises your children
  • Both LPAs are essential: Financial and health decisions need separate authorisation
  • Letter of wishes guides the how: Your will says who, the letter explains what you want for your children
  • Information document is practical gold: Everything your family needs when they're least able to think clearly
  • Annual reviews keep everything current: Children grow, circumstances change, documents need updating

Next Steps {#next-steps}

Related Guides:

Last updated: January 2026. This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws are specific to England and Wales unless otherwise stated. LPA registration fees are current as of January 2026.

Last updated: 11 January 2026