Probate and Estate Administration Fees
The death of a loved one will always be an emotional, distressing and possibly confusing time. Our experienced advisers are here to help. Our expert solicitors will explain the process of probate and estate administration in detail and how we can support you and your family.
The cost of probate and estate administration will depend on your personal circumstances and the circumstances of those involved. You need to be aware of the two elements involved; applying for a Grant of Probate and the administration of the estate.
The information on this page is based on when there is a Will in place. There may be additional costs in situations where there is no Will in place.
What’s the difference between Grant of Probate and a Grant of Letters of Administration, also known as estate administration?
A grant of probate is where a person dies and leaves a will saying what happens to their estate when they die.
If there is a will, you need to apply to the Probate Court for a Grant of Probate. If a person dies without a will, then you obtain Letters of Administration. There are rules saying who gets what when this happens, and we will explain to you what these rules are.
It is not always necessary to use a solicitor or any other expert to obtain a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration. It is most likely if the estate is worth under £5,000 to £10,000 you do not need a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration. If there is money in a bank or similar organisation, they will tell you whether they insist on you obtain a formal Grant of Probate or whether they can just fill in a form and deal with it without this extra cost. If in doubt, please ask us.
Grant of Probate
Whenever possible we try and tell our clients what we are going to charge them before they instruct us. So, in most cases the fees are as follows: –
***Please note the costs displayed on the table above is for Grant of Probate only. ***
The first step of the process is to arrange an appointment with you to discuss your situation. Once we have all the information that we need, we will confirm your instructions to us in writing. This will include any advice we have given, the approximate time that will be needed for your matter and an estimate of the costs involved.
We will also detail the steps of the process that we will be taking.
Our solicitors will keep you informed during the conduct of your matter, advise you of any delays and explain the reasons behind them. We will inform you if a cost estimate needs amending and explain the reasons behind this. We will also explain any changes of staff affecting your matter in writing.
Although it is difficult to predict how long it will take to obtain a Grant of Probate, once we have all the information that we need, we will be in a position to advise you on the time scale for a Grant of Probate. Subject to receiving necessary information, we usually predict the time scale for Grant of Probate will take approximately 3 to 6 months.
Full Estate Administration
| Estate Up to | Fees | VAT | Court Fees (Including VAT) |
|---|---|---|---|
0-£50,000 | £450.00 | £90.00 | £156.00 |
£50,001-£75,000 | £500.00 | £100.00 | £156.00 |
£75,001-£100,000 | £550.00 | £110.00 | £156.00 |
£100,001 to £150,000 | £600.00 | £120.00 | £156.00 |
£150,001-£175,000 | £650.00 | £130.00 | £156.00 |
£175,001 to £200,000 | £700.00 | £140.00 | £156.00 |
£200,001 to £250,000 | £750.00 | £150.00 | £156.00 |
£250,001 to £300,000 | £800.00 | £160.00 | £156.00 |
£300.001 to £400,000 | £1,400.00 | £280.00 | £156.00 |
£400,001 to £500,000 | £1,600.00 | £320.00 | £156.00 |
The charges would be referenced to the time needed to complete the matter and the value of the estate, a costs estimate would be provided specifically to the case before work commenced.
Work we undertake during the estate administration will include obtaining a Grant, collecting all assets, paying all known liabilities, paying all tax due and distributing the estate in accordance with the will or intestacy.
Are there any additional fees?
There will be certain additional costs payable to third parties, also known as disbursements. Our estimate for the disbursements are as follows (VAT included)
- Bankruptcy search for the deceased – £1.20
- Probate Registration Fee – £156
- Fee for each additional copy of the Grant – £0.50
- Section 27 notice – £250
Subject to receiving the necessary information, we usually predict the time scale for full administration will approximately take 6 to 12 months (conveyancing for property in the estate is not included).