Our probate service costs vary depending on the complexity of the deceased’s estate and whether any challenges are made against the will or estate.

However, we can give you a fixed quote for a straightforward estate with the following features:

• A valid will, which is readily available to us
• No more than one property
• All assets and debts are readily identifiable
• No more than 6 bank or building society accounts
• No intangible assets (ask us if you are not sure what this means)
• Up to 6 UK resident beneficiaries
• The identity and address of all beneficiaries is known and all are co-operative
• No disputes between beneficiaries and/or challenges from other parties
• No claims are made against the estate
• All executors are co-operative and not in dispute with each other, and we can meet them in person if required
• No inheritance tax is payable and the executors do not need to submit a full account to HMRC
• The Deceased and all beneficiaries are not subject to any insolvency issues
• No overseas assets
• No power of attorney is required

We will charge a fixed fee for our work to obtain a Grant of Representation (Probate or Letters of Administration) (Grant only application), which is £1,250 plus VAT (currently £250) and disbursements.

Or a fixed fee for Grant of Representation (Probate or Letters of Administration) (full estate administration) based on 3% of the value of the gross estate plus VAT (currently 20%) and disbursements, subject to a minimum of £1,000 plus VAT (currently £200) and disbursements.

As an example, for a Grant of Probate (Estate Administration) with an estate valued at £35,000, fees would be:

• Our fee for our services: £1,050
• Plus VAT on our fee: £210

For an estate valued at £150,000, fees would be:

• Our fee for our services: £4,500
• Plus VAT on our fee £900

In addition, you should expect certain expenses which are payable to third parties on your behalf (these charges are not set by us and may be subject to change). These include, but are not limited to:

• Probate Registry application fee: If the value of the estate is over £5,000, the application fee is £300. There is no fee if the estate if £5,000 or less.
• Official copies of Grant of Probate: £1.50 per copy.
• Bankruptcy searches: £2 per beneficiary.
• Creditors’ notices: £300 (approximately).

Our probate service in straightforward cases includes the following:

• Establishing the type of administration applicable
• Identifying the executors or administrators and beneficiaries
• Completing the Grant application
• Submitting the application to the Probate Registry
• Advising on all documentation required to make the application and complete the administration
• Collecting and distributing all assets in the estate

We have a number of solicitors acting in this area. For more information about their experience and qualifications use the links below.

Amy Worthington
Anna-Marie Knipe
Cathy MacCracken
Jessica Watkinson
Kristina Smith
Leanne Malseed
Michelle Fairhurst
Rosemary Johns

Typically, straightforward estates can be administered within 6 to 18 months. This depends on the circumstances, and on the response times of anybody that we need to liaise with in order to do our work.

Normally, once all the information is available, obtaining the Grant of Representation (Probate or Letters of Administration) takes about 16 weeks from application. The assets can then be collected, which can often take between 16 and 52 weeks. Once this has been done, we prepare the final accounts and distribute the assets, a process which usually takes between 4 and 12 weeks.

If you have any questions or queries about our Probate service and pricing – or about any of our legal services – please get in touch.

We are more than happy to talk about your circumstances and if we can help. The initial call and advice is free, in confidence, and comes with no obligations.