Executor Duties UK — what you have to do, in the order it matters | ValorenSkip to content
England & Wales · Executor duties · Estate administration

You are the executor.
Here is what that actually means.

An executorship is a legal role, not a title. You are personally responsible for collecting assets, paying debts, filing tax returns, applying for probate, and distributing the estate — in the right order. This page is the complete guide.

What you are taking on

Estate administration is not a paperwork task. It is a legal responsibility that typically runs for 9–12 months.

80–220 hours
Administration time

When nothing was written down, a straightforward estate can still take 80–120 hours of executor time. Complex estates reach 200 hours. Most of that time goes on discovery and chasing, not the forms themselves.

£3,000–8,000
Full solicitor probate

Indicative planning figure — not a quote — for solicitor-led full estate administration on a straightforward estate, plus VAT. Varies significantly by firm, region, and complexity.

9–12 months
Typical timeline

From death to final distribution, most straightforward estates take 9–12 months. Taxable estates, contested wills, or property abroad typically take 18 months or more.

£526 + £2
Probate registry fee

The fee to the Probate Registry to apply for the grant. £526 for estates over £5,000, then £2 per copy of the grant. No fee for estates under £5,000.

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What an executor must do

Seven duties, each in sequence. The order matters — acting out of sequence on several of these creates personal liability.

Register the deathWithin 5 days

The death must be registered at a local register office within 5 days in England and Wales. You receive certified copies of the death certificate — you will need several.

Locate the will and instruct a solicitor or apply yourselfWeek 1–2

Find the original will, confirm you are named executor, and decide whether to apply for probate yourself or instruct a solicitor. A probate application without a will uses PA1A; with a will, PA1P.

Notify institutions and government departmentsWeek 1–4

Tell Us Once — the government service — notifies multiple departments in one go. Banks, pension providers, insurers, HMRC, and DWP each need separate notification. Sole accounts freeze on notification; shared accounts do not.

Do not notify the sole bank account before checking for standing payments. The account freezes immediately.
Apply for a grant of probateMonth 1–3

Probate gives you legal authority to deal with the estate. Apply online or by post using PA1P (with a will) or PA1A (without). Pay the probate registry fee. Most estates take 8–16 weeks to grant.

Value the estate and file an IHT return if requiredMonth 2–6

Most estates below the threshold use IHT205 (England/Wales) or C5 (Scotland). Estates above the nil-rate band file IHT400. HMRC must be paid within 6 months of death or interest accrues.

Interest accrues on unpaid IHT after 6 months from the end of the month of death.
Collect assets, pay debts, and settle liabilitiesMonth 3–12

Once probate is granted, you can access accounts, sell property, and collect assets. Pay all debts, funeral costs, and administration expenses before distributing anything. Distributing too early makes you personally liable for unpaid debts.

Distribute too early and you are personally liable for unpaid creditor claims.
Distribute the estate and prepare estate accountsMonth 9–18

Transfer assets to beneficiaries as set out in the will. Prepare estate accounts showing all assets received, payments made, and distributions. Beneficiaries are entitled to a copy.

Liability runs with the role, not the difficulty. An executor who distributes the estate before all debts are paid is personally liable to creditors — even if they were unaware of a debt. The free executor checklist on this site tracks every required step.

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The six-phase timeline

Estate administration runs in six overlapping phases. Most tasks in phases 3–5 cannot begin until the grant of probate is in hand.

Days 1–14
Immediate administration
  • ▸Register the death — register office, within 5 days
  • ▸Obtain death certificates (order 8–12 copies)
  • ▸Tell Us Once — government departments notified in one visit
  • ▸Locate the will, note executor names
  • ▸Arrange the funeral — costs come from the estate later
Weeks 2–8
Notification and valuation
  • ▸Notify banks, building societies, pension providers, insurers
  • ▸Cancel subscriptions, redirect post
  • ▸Value all assets: property, investments, personal effects
  • ▸Identify and list all debts and liabilities
  • ▸HMRC self-assessment: notify and file if outstanding
Months 2–4
Probate application
  • ▸Complete PA1P (with will) or PA1A (without) — online or post
  • ▸Pay probate registry fee: £526 plus £2 per copy
  • ▸Await grant of probate — typically 8–16 weeks
  • ▸File IHT return if required: IHT400 or IHT205
  • ▸Pay any IHT due within 6 months to avoid interest
Months 4–9
Estate administration
  • ▸Grant received — legal authority to act on the estate
  • ▸Collect all assets into an executor's account
  • ▸Sell property or transfer to beneficiaries
  • ▸Settle all debts, liabilities, and administration costs
  • ▸Deal with any HMRC repayments or final tax position
Months 9–18
Distribution and accounts
  • ▸Distribute specific legacies under the will
  • ▸Transfer residuary estate to beneficiaries
  • ▸Prepare formal estate accounts for beneficiary sign-off
  • ▸Retain records for at least 12 years
  • ▸Discharge from executorship once all matters closed
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The key government forms

Four forms cover the majority of estate administrations. Valoren has walkthrough guides for each.

PA1PProbate Application (with will)

Any executor named in the will. Applied for online via HMCTS or by post.

When:After the death is registered. Before the grant is issued.
Fee:£526 + £2 per copy (no fee under £5,000)
Walkthrough
PA1AProbate Application (without will)

The person applying to administer an intestate estate — usually closest next of kin.

When:Where there is no valid will. Rules of intestacy determine who may apply.
Fee:£526 + £2 per copy
Walkthrough
IHT400Inheritance Tax Account

Required where the estate is taxable — broadly, above the nil-rate band plus any residence nil-rate band.

When:Before the grant of probate. IHT must be paid (or deferred on property) before probate issues.
Fee:No fee — but IHT payable at 40% on the taxable estate
Walkthrough
IHT205Return of Estate Information (excepted estates)

Most estates — where gross value is below £325,000 (or higher with spouse exemptions), no IHT return is needed. IHT205 confirms this.

When:With the probate application. Replaced by online form for deaths from 1 Jan 2022.
Fee:None
Walkthrough
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What the Executor's First Hour brief provides

The brief is not a template. It is a 12-section document prepared by hand around your specific situation and delivered within 24 hours.

A written account of what is known and what is still missing
The right notification order — sole accounts, shared accounts, pensions
Which probate route applies to this estate
An IHT position read — taxable, exempt, or borderline
Which government forms this estate needs and when
What to do this week, this month, and this quarter
Where to find independent professional help if needed
Common executor mistakes — and how this estate avoids them
A letter to each major institution (bank, HMRC, DWP, pension)
A checklist of every required step, in sequence
What to tell beneficiaries now and what can wait
An estate diary — tracking what has been done and what remains
Executor's First Hour Pack · £179 · One-off · 24-hour turnaround

Twelve sections. Written for your estate.
Delivered in 24 hours.

You answer ten questions about the estate. A Valoren specialist reads your answers and prepares twelve written sections around your exact situation. Not a template. Not a checklist. A brief.

✓Prepared by hand
✓Delivered in 24 hours
✓14-day refund

Also available: the Estate Readiness Audit — £79 . Where you need to diagnose your own estate position rather than administer someone else's.

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Common executor questions

01How long does probate take?›
Most straightforward estates take 6–12 months from death to final distribution. The probate application itself typically takes 8–16 weeks after submission. Complex estates — with property abroad, a disputed will, or a taxable estate — often take 18 months or more.
02Do I need a solicitor to apply for probate?›
No. Most people apply directly via HMCTS using PA1P or PA1A. You only need a solicitor if the estate is contested, there is a taxable estate you cannot navigate, or property is held abroad. A solicitor is helpful but not required for a straightforward estate.
03Can I pay myself as executor?›
Only if the will expressly allows it. Most wills do not include an executor's charging clause — if yours does not, you must act without payment. Professional executors (solicitors, trust companies) can charge; lay executors generally cannot.
04What happens if there is no will?›
The estate is distributed under the rules of intestacy — a fixed statutory order that does not reflect most people's actual wishes. An unmarried partner receives nothing regardless of length of relationship. You apply for a grant of letters of administration using PA1A rather than probate.
05What is Tell Us Once?›
A government service that notifies multiple departments in one visit: HMRC, DWP, the DVLA, the Passport Office, and local authority. Available after registration, free to use, and saves significant time compared to notifying each department separately.
06How much does estate administration cost?›
A full probate solicitor engagement on a straightforward estate typically runs £3,000–8,000 plus VAT and disbursements — indicative, varying significantly by firm and complexity. The probate registry fee is £526 plus £2 per copy. IHT (if due) is 40% on the taxable estate above the nil-rate bands.
If this estate needs more than a guide

Where the boundary is reached, Valoren refers.

The answer higher up this page holds: most executors apply themselves. The questions above also name the exceptions — and where one of those is yours, you have two routes, and we are straightforward about which one is ours.

Prefer an independent adviser?
The Law Society · Public directory
Find a Solicitor
The Law Society of England & Wales — regulated solicitors. Searchable by postcode and area of practice. Best fit for full-service estate administration where IHT400 submission, cross-border assets, or contested points are involved.
solicitors.lawsociety.org.uk →
STEP · Public directory
Find a Trust and Estate Practitioner
Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners — the professional body for trust and estate work in the UK. Members hold the TEP credential after rigorous examination. Best fit when trusts, cross-border estates, or complex succession structures are involved.
step.org →
CIOT · Public directory
Find a Chartered Tax Adviser
Chartered Institute of Taxation — the leading professional body for UK tax. Members hold the CTA credential after the most demanding tax qualification in the UK. Best fit when APR/BPR, business succession, lifetime gift planning, or HMRC dispute resolution are in play.
tax.org.uk →
Signum is Valoren's own desk — instructing it means instructing us, disclosed plainly. None of the three directories pays Valoren a referral fee; they are listed so the independent route is always one click away.
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