A Freedom of Information (FoI) request has revealed that hundreds of thousands of Britons who were previously overcharged for Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) registration fees have not yet claimed the refunds they are entitled to.
Earlier in the year, the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) revealed that around 1.8 million UK adults who had been overcharged would be able to apply for refunds, which would range from £37 to £108 depending on their circumstances.
The news came after the Ministry of Defence (MoD) revealed that the OPG had failed to pass on a reduction in its operating costs to consumers between 1 April 2013 and 31 March 2017.
However, figures unveiled earlier this week in response to the FoI request suggest that since the OPG launched its refund scheme, only 203,000 people have applied for their refunds, claiming back approximately £10.3 million.
According to reports, this means that millions of pounds are still owed to hundreds of thousands of Britons who may not be aware that they are entitled to claim.
Helen Morrissey, of Royal London, the company which issued the FoI request, said: “The refund option has been available for some time now and, as yet, only a small proportion of people have submitted a claim.
“The onus really is on the Government to sort it out. It should be contacting people who have not yet claimed a refund to make sure they get their money back.”
Those who wish to make a claim can do so either using the GOV.UK website or by calling 0300 456 0300.
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