Probate Fees Rise 75% From 13 July: What It Means
From 13 July 2026, the fee to apply for a grant of probate in England and Wales rises from £300 to £526 — a jump of more than 75% in a single change. If you're currently gathering paperwork to apply for probate, or expect to be handling a loved one's estate in the coming weeks, the date on your application could make a real difference to what you pay.
Why the Probate Fee Is Rising
The increase applies to the standard flat fee charged by HM Courts & Tribunals Service for a grant of probate — the legal document that gives an executor the authority to deal with a deceased person's estate. Unlike inheritance tax, this fee applies regardless of the size of the estate, so the increase is felt just as sharply by families dealing with a modest house and some savings as it is by larger estates. Applications made and paid for before 13 July should still be charged at the old £300 rate, but the practical window to act on that is closing fast.
This isn't the only pressure point in the probate system right now. Separately, cases taking over six months to reach a grant have risen by 140% over the past five years, and cases taking over a year have jumped by 177%. Executors are already contending with a slower system before this fee rise adds an extra cost on top.
What's Actually Driving the Delays
Probate delays tend to come down to a handful of recurring issues: inconsistencies between an estate's inheritance tax filing and the probate application itself, missing original documents like the will or death certificate, and inheritance tax returns that are themselves taking longer to process than they used to. Clean, complete digital applications are still typically granted within five to twelve weeks, but paper applications — and anything with an error or omission — can take twenty weeks or considerably longer.
What Executors Should Do Before the Fee Rises
If you're already partway through gathering the paperwork for a probate application, it's worth checking whether you can realistically submit before 13 July. That means having the will (or confirming there isn't one), the death certificate, a reasonably accurate valuation of the estate, and — if inheritance tax is due — the relevant IHT forms submitted first, since HMRC needs to confirm tax has been paid or isn't due before probate can be granted in most cases.
If the deadline isn't achievable, don't rush a submission just to save £226. An incomplete or inaccurate application submitted in haste is far more likely to be delayed, and a delay can cost executors far more in time, stress, and sometimes in the estate's own liabilities — such as continuing mortgage interest or property insurance on an unsold house — than the fee increase itself.
Why Professional Support Pays Off Right Now
With fees rising and the system already under strain, the margin for error in a probate application is shrinking. A solicitor who handles probate regularly knows exactly what HMCTS and HMRC expect, which reduces the chance of the kind of query or missing document that can add months to the process. For executors who are also grieving, that support can matter just as much practically as it does emotionally.
What Should You Do Next?
If you're facing a probate application — whether you're racing the 13 July deadline or dealing with an estate that's already underway — getting the right advice early is the single biggest factor in avoiding delay. QualitySolicitors' first contact team can talk through your situation and connect you with a local solicitor experienced in probate and estate administration, so you're not navigating the paperwork alone. Get in touch today for guidance you can trust.