Probate costs

Our usual hourly rate for probate work is £189 per hour plus VAT (£226.80 inc VAT).

FIXED FEE - GRANT ONLY

If you just want us to apply for the grant of probate for you and do not want us to collect and distribute the assets we can do this work for a fixed fee of £499 plus VAT (£598.80 including VAT) for estates comprising no more than one property and money in no more than 3 bank or building society accounts and no foreign assets. If the estates are more complex the charges may be more. In addition to our charges there will be the Probate Registry fee of £161 including four copies of the grant (if you do not use a solicitor the fee is £215) to pay (these fees apply to estates worth £5,000 or more) and fees in relation to swearing the oath of £7 per executor. 

 For the fixed fee we will:-

• Provide you with a dedicated and experienced probate solicitor to work on your matter 
• Identify the legally appointed executors or administrators and beneficiaries 
• Accurately identify the type of Probate application you will require 
• Obtain the relevant documents required to make the application   
• Complete the Probate Application and the relevant HMRC forms 
• Draft a Statement of Truth for you to sign
• Make the application to the Probate Court on your behalf 
• Obtain the Probate and send two copies to you

FULL ADMINISTRATION

If you would like us to collect and distribute the assets and ensure that the deceased’s wishes, as set out in their will, are fully carried out in addition to obtaining the grant of probate, there will be additional charges. For small estaes we estimate that the work will take between 7 and 15 hours work at £189 per hour (total cost estimated at £2,000 to £3,500 plus VAT). The exact cost will depend on the individual circumstances of the matter. For example, if there is one beneficiary and no property, costs will be at the lower end of the range. If there are multiple beneficiaries, a property and multiple bank accounts, costs will be at the higher end. If there is foreign property involved the costs could be significantly higher. For complex or high value estates the costs will be higher.

We will handle the full process for you. This estimate is for estates where:

• There is a valid will
• There is no more than one property
• There are no more than 3 bank or building society accounts
• There are no other intangible assets
• There are no more than 3 beneficiaries
• There are no disputes between beneficiaries on division of assets. If disputes arise this is likely to lead to an increase in costs 
• There is no inheritance tax payable and the executors do not need to submit a full account to HMRC
• There are no claims made against the estate 

Disbursements additional to this fee:

• Probate application fee of £161
• £7 Swearing of the oath (per executor)
• Bankruptcy only, Land Charges Department searches (£2 per beneficiary)
• Trustee Act Notices posted in The London Gazette and local newspapers (Protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors) £150 - £300.

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as court fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process. 

Potential additional costs

• If there is no will or the estate consists of any share holdings (stocks and bonds) or foreign property there is likely to be additional costs that could range significantly depending on the estate and how it is to be dealt with. We can give you a more accurate quote once we have more information. 
• If any additional copies of the grant are required, they will cost £1.50 each (1 per asset usually).
• Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate is not included.
• Inheritance tax.

Optional extras

WE currently have a facility whereby if it is believed that there are assets which cannot be located, they can be traced by a search. This is carried out by a company caled Inheritance Data and can be used for a fixed fee of £199 inc VAT.

How long will this take?

On average, estates that fall within this range are dealt with within 6-12 months. Typically, obtaining the grant of probate takes 10-14 weeks. Collecting assets then follows, which can take between 15-30 weeks. Once this has been done we can distribute the assets, this normally takes a further 4-6 weeks. 

Who will be doing the work?

Probate work is undertaken by a qualified solicitor who may be supported by more junior staff, for example trainee solicitors or paralegals. Please see the ‘Our People’ section of our website.