When someone dies there is an awful lot to do, from registering the death and organising the funeral, to paying bills, dealing with the Inland Revenue, and arranging a house clearance, there’s a whole list of jobs to be done.
So, what is Probate?
Probate is a legal document that provides the Executors with the authority to collect, manage, sell, and distribute the assets of the individual that died. It is the ‘proof’ of all that has been written in the individual’s Will. Without this document, which takes some time to arrange, then nothing can happen.
If the person who died had not written a Will then typically the next of kin will need to go through a similar process to obtain legal authority by way of ‘Letters of Administration’.
When arranging Probate or obtaining Letters of Administration there are key areas that you must show consideration to:
- Your Executors – Should be competent, trustworthy and sufficiently intelligent that they understand the complexities of the task in hand, including that they may need help and that they are carrying personal liability for their actions.
- That Inheritance tax may be payable and that this tax is payable prior to the distribution of the Estate assets. Tax may be payable before assets have been gathered, the Executors are responsible for paying this.
- That the financial side of things can be complicated, a bank account will need opening, the funeral will need paying, any debts will need to be settled and the Estate will need to be distributed exactly in accordance with the wishes of the deceased.
- There is a great deal of responsibility and personal liability on the shoulders of those responsible for your Estate, you must be sure they are up to the job!
Probate is often very complicated, dealing with the Inland Revenue can be stressful, the process takes energy and is time-consuming. So, select carefully or simply appoint us and we will complete the process for you.
Probate Fees
We are authorised and regulated by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) to undertake non-contentious probate work in England and Wales.
We are committed to transparent pricing. The total cost of probate depends on the complexity of the estate, the quality of the records available, and whether any inheritance tax is payable. Below we explain how we charge and provide typical fee ranges.
All fees quoted are inclusive of VAT.
How We Charge
We charge either:
- A fixed fee (where the scope of work is clearly defined), or
- On a time-spent basis at the hourly rates set out below for any additional tasks outside the defined tasks.
Hourly Rates
- Probate Responsible Individual: £180 per hour
We will confirm the appropriate basis of charging in your engagement letter before any work begins.
Simple Estates
A simple estate typically involves:
- A valid Will
- Up to 3–4 beneficiaries
- Up to one residential property in England or Wales
- Fewer than 5 bank/building society accounts
- No inheritance tax payable
- No business assets or overseas assets
- No disputes or missing beneficiaries
Our Typical Fees
For estates meeting the above criteria, our fees typically range between:
£1,800 – £9,500 broken down as:
£1,800 – £3,500 – Application for the Grant of Probate
£2,400 – £6,000 – Estate Administration
This Usually Includes:
- Initial meeting and advice
- Identifying and valuing assets and liabilities
- Preparing the probate application
- Preparing the relevant HMRC forms (non-taxable estate requiring PA1P form only)
- Applying for the Grant of Probate
- Collecting in assets
- Settling liabilities
- Preparing estate accounts
- Distributing the estate to beneficiaries
Typical Timescale
Generally 3–9 months, depending on asset realisation and third-party response times.
Complex Estates
What Makes an Estate Complex?
An estate may be complex where it includes one or more of the following:
- No valid Will (intestacy)
- Inheritance tax payable
- Multiple properties
- Business interests or shareholdings
- Trust interests
- Foreign assets
- Agricultural or relief claims
- Numerous beneficiaries
- Missing beneficiaries
- Disputes or potential claims
Our Typical Fees
For complex estates, fees typically range between:
£3,600 – £12,000 broken down as:
£3,600 – £6,000 – Application for the Grant of Probate
£2,400 – £6,000 – Estate Administration
In more substantial or technical estates, fees may exceed this range. We will always provide a tailored estimate once we understand the full circumstances.
This May Include:
- Detailed inheritance tax calculations
- Preparing IHT400 and supplementary schedules
- Liaising extensively with HMRC
- Advising on reliefs (e.g. Business Property Relief)
- Coordinating property sales
- Managing business or investment disposals
- Dealing with overseas assets
- Additional reporting requirements
Typical Timescale
Usually 6–18 months or longer where inheritance tax is payable or assets are complex.
Disbursements (Third-Party Costs)
Disbursements are costs payable to third parties and are not part of our fees. These typically include:
- Probate Registry application fee
- Official copies of the Grant
- Statutory notices (if required)
These costs vary depending on the estate. We will provide an estimate before they are incurred.
What Is Not Included
Unless specifically agreed, our fees do not include:
- Conveyancing for the sale or transfer of property
- Administration of ongoing trusts
- Contentious probate or disputes
- Independent financial advice
- Tax advice beyond the estate administration
If additional work becomes necessary, we will discuss this with you and agree any revised fees before proceeding.
Engagement and Complaints
Before commencing work, we will provide:
- A written engagement letter
- Details of the scope of work
- Confirmation of fees and charging basis
As an ICAEW-regulated firm, we operate a formal complaints procedure. Details are available on our website.
Probate Fees – Percentage Comparison with Solicitors
In addition to hourly rate or fixed-fee charging, some legal service providers charge probate fees as a percentage of the gross value of the estate.
Under the transparency rules of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), many solicitors publish pricing based on a percentage of the estate.
Typical Solicitor Percentage Fees
It is common in the market for firms to charge:
- 1% – 2% of the gross estate value, plus
- VAT, and
- Disbursements
Some firms may charge separate percentages for property and non-property assets.
Example Comparison
If an estate is valued at £500,000:
- A 1.5% fee would equal £7,500
- Plus VAT (at 20%) = £9,000
- Plus disbursements
If the estate includes a property valued at £750,000:
- A 2% fee would equal £15,000
- Plus VAT (at 20%) = £18,000
- Plus disbursements
These fees are based on estate value rather than complexity or time spent.
Our Charging Approach
We do not generally charge as a percentage of the estate value.
Instead, we charge:
- A fixed fee (where scope permits), or
- Based on time spent at agreed hourly rates
This means our fees reflect:
- The complexity of the estate
- The actual work required
- The time involved
Not simply the size of the estate.
For higher-value but straightforward estates, this can result in significantly lower fees than a percentage-based model.
We will always provide a clear written estimate before commencing work.
Licensed by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales to carry out the reserved legal activity of non-contentious probate in England and Wales.