Probate Fee Guide
- Typical Fees: £4,000 (including VAT)
- Typical Timescale: 9–12 months
- What’s Included: Full probate service – from Grant application to final distribution
- What’s Not Included: Property sale/transfer and trust registration – quoted separately
What’s Included in Our Probate Service
We offer a comprehensive probate service for straightforward estates, including applying for the Grant of Probate, collecting the assets, settling any liabilities, and distributing the estate.
Our average fee for this full service is £4,000 (including VAT at 20%).
We estimate the work will take 14 to 20 hours at an average hourly rate of £237.50 (including VAT).
When This Fee Applies
The quoted fee applies to estates where:
- There is a valid Will
- There is no more than one property
- There are no more than three bank or building society accounts
- There are no other intangible assets
- There are up to four beneficiaries
- There are no disputes between beneficiaries
- There is no inheritance tax payable, and no full account is required to be submitted to HMRC
- There are no claims made against the estate
- For more complex estates, additional work may be required (see below for details).
Disbursements (Third-Party Costs)
Disbursements are costs payable to third parties (e.g. court fees). We handle these on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.
| Disbursement | Cost | VAT |
|---|---|---|
| Probate application fee | £300 | No VAT |
| Additional copies of the Grant (per copy) | £1.50 | No VAT |
| Bankruptcy search (per beneficiary) | £2.40 | Included |
| Statutory notices (to protect against unknown creditors) | £243.89 | Included |
| Asset search (if required to locate unknown assets) | £165–£195 | + VAT |
Additional estate research fees may apply if beneficiary tracing or further investigation is needed. We’ll provide a quote based on your specific circumstances.
What Our Service Covers
As part of our full probate service, we will:
- Assign a dedicated probate lawyer to your case
- Identify the legally appointed executors/administrators and beneficiaries
- Advise on the correct type of probate application
- Obtain the documents required for the application
- Complete and submit the probate application and any HMRC forms
- Arrange for any inheritance tax to be paid (if applicable)
- Draft the legal statement
- Submit the application to the Probate Registry
- Receive the Grant of Probate
- Collect all assets in the estate
- Settle liabilities
- Distribute the estate to the beneficiaries
- Prepare and approve detailed estate accounts
- Please note: The sale or transfer of property and Trust Registration (TRS) are not included in our standard probate fee. We can quote separately for this work if required.
Additional Costs for Complex Estates
More complex estates may involve extra work and incur additional charges. A tailored quote will be provided once we know more about your situation.
Examples of situations that may lead to additional costs include:
- No valid Will (intestacy)
- Estate includes stocks, bonds, or shareholdings
- A Limited Grant is needed
- A claim is made against the estate
- The estate includes foreign assets
- There are more than four beneficiaries
- DWP investigations or claims
- Requirement to complete a full Inheritance Tax account (IHT400)
- Payment of Inheritance Tax
- Claims for Agricultural or Business Property Relief
- Application for Residence Nil Rate Band
- A Deed of Variation is required
- The estate is insolvent
- Missing or untraced beneficiaries
Key Stages of the Probate Process
- Initial consultation and review of the Will or intestacy
- Valuation of assets and liabilities
- Contacting beneficiaries and confirming entitlements
- Drafting the Grant application and (if applicable) HMRC tax forms
- Approval of all documents by the executors
- Submission of application to HMRC and/or the Probate Registry
- Receipt of the Grant
- Statutory notices issued (if required)
- Collection of assets
- Sale or transfer of property (if required)
- Payment of liabilities
- Drafting and approval of estate accounts
- Distribution of the estate to beneficiaries
How Long Will It Take?
For straightforward estates, the entire process typically takes 9 to 12 months. Below is a breakdown of the main timeframes:
- HMRC Inheritance Tax processing (if required): 4–6 weeks
- Probate Registry processing: Approximately 16 weeks after submission
- Asset collection: 8–10 weeks
- Final distribution: 3–4 weeks
Where a property is involved or if HMRC or the DWP require further investigation, timescales may be extended.
If a full HMRC Inheritance Tax return is required, or if Inheritance Tax must be paid before obtaining the Grant, this will significantly increase the timeframe. We cannot proceed with the Grant application until HMRC clearance is received.
Property in the Estate
If the estate includes a property, it will need to be dealt with either by transfer, assent, or sale. This work is not included in the standard probate fee but can be quoted separately depending on your needs.
Grant-Only Fixed Fee Services
We also offer a limited service where we only apply for the Grant of Probate, based on information you provide.
| Service | Price (incl. VAT) |
|---|---|
| Applying for the Grant (paper application) | £1,980 – £2,300 |
| Applying for the Grant (online application) | £1,800 – £2,300 |
These services are for expected estates only and do not include collection or distribution of assets.
