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Probate Cost Calculator

The cost of probate in England & Wales — the fixed government fees, plus indicative grant-only and full-administration cost ranges scaled to how much work the estate actually needs.

✓ Fees verified against GOV.UK 3 Sept 2026
Free
§1The estate
Property, savings, investments, ISAs, life policies (as paid out, not in trust), business interests at market value, before debts and tax.
£
£0£500k£1m£1.5m£2m+
§2The work it needs

Cost is driven by the work an estate needs, not value alone. These shape the estimate.

Property involved?
Inheritance Tax return likely?
Will status
Records quality
Estimated probate cost
Enter the gross estate value on the left. Government fees are fixed — £526 over £5,000, plus £2 per sealed copy.
Your three options · cheapest firstEngland & Wales
Your three routes for this estate, cheapest first, with the estate’s complexity band.
RouteIndicative cost
Do it yourself (govt fees)
Grant-only help
Full administration
Estate complexity
Updates live · typical figures · full ranges & what’s included below
Inside Valoren

Whichever path you choose, the records are the same.

Kept current

Asset values, accounts and contacts change. The records update in one place — so the estate picture is right when probate is actually opened.

Surfaced when it matters

On day one, an executor sees what to do first — the schedule, the institutions to notify, the documents already prepared.

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Your executor finds it in one place. No password hunt, no “where are the documents.”

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If you are administering an estate now

The Executor's First Hour Pack at £179 is twelve operational sections written from your circumstances — the institution-by-institution playbook, the IHT400 pathway, the grant sequence, and the conflict-management brief.

See the Executor's First Hour Pack
Quick lookups

Probate cost by estate value

The fixed fees and the typical professional cost for an estate of each size. Open one to adjust the detail.

The short answer

How much does probate cost in the UK?

Probate in England & Wales has one fixed cost and one variable one. The fixed cost is the government fee: £526 to apply when the estate is worth over £5,000 (nothing if it's £5,000 or less), plus £2 for each sealed copy of the grant. That part is the same whatever the estate is worth.

The variable cost is whether you pay for professional help, and how much. You can do the whole thing yourself for just the government fee.

Grant-only help — a professional deals with the agreed work needed to obtain the grant, and you remain responsible for collecting the estate, paying liabilities, keeping accounts and distributing it — runs approximately £1,080–£4,200 including VAT, based on published examples from the firms reviewed. Full estate administration on a genuinely straightforward estate commonly falls within a broad range of approximately £3,000–£8,000 including VAT, and more where the work is heavier.

These are indicative, not quotes; court fees, statutory notices, valuations, conveyancing and other third-party costs are additional. The calculator above shows all three routes for your estate.

Government fees current for 2026, verified against GOV.UK on 3 Sept 2026. Professional fees are typical market ranges, not a quote.

Worked examples

The same estate, four sizes.

What a typical, straightforward estate — one property, organised records, no added complexity — costs at each size: doing it yourself versus full professional help. The calculator above adjusts for your specifics.

What a straightforward estate costs at four sizes, doing it yourself versus full professional help.
Gross estateDo it yourselfFull help
£150,000£534£3,600 inc. VAT
£350,000£534£3,600 inc. VAT
£750,000£534£7,200 inc. VAT
£1,500,000£534£7,200 inc. VAT

Typical figures, not a quote — grant-only help sits between these two. Full-help fees vary by firm and rise with Inheritance Tax, multiple properties, trusts or disputes.

GOOD TO KNOW

Three things that move the price

Probate is largely administrative and digital. A London-based executor can instruct a firm in South Wales and pay that firm's published rate. The solicitor's office location drives the cost — not the estate's location, not yours.

1 · WHERE THE SOLICITOR IS

A city firm charges more

Probate is mostly remote paperwork, so you can instruct a firm anywhere — and the firm's postcode matters far less than who inside it does the work.

On firms' own published price pages, a qualified solicitor's hour runs roughly £240 to £540 including VAT, highest in central London; the routine gathering and form-filling is usually done by a paralegal or trainee at well under half that.

Two things decide an hourly bill: the grade of the person doing the work, and the firm's estimate of how many hours it will take. Ask for both in writing before you instruct.

Published rates vary widely between firms, and an hourly rate on its own tells you nothing without the hours. A fixed fee for a defined scope is easier to compare than any rate.

2 · HOW THEY CHARGE

Watch the % add-on

Some firms calculate part or all of their fee by reference to the estate's value — on its own, or added to hourly time. The courts accept this, provided the total bill is fair and reasonable and value is not charged twice.

  • The older Law Society scale those decisions drew on was 0.5–0.75% of a home and 1–1.5% of everything else, higher where the firm’s own partners are executors.
  • Treat that as a ceiling the courts have tolerated, not a norm to expect.
  • Ask whether a value element applies, and ask for it as a separate line.

If it was not in your engagement letter you can challenge the bill — through the Legal Ombudsman, or a court assessment under s.70 Solicitors Act 1974 within a month of receiving it. Illustration: on a £500,000 estate, 1% on £250,000 of savings plus 0.5% on a £250,000 house adds £3,750 before VAT.

3 · THE SMALL FIXED COSTS

Government fees that recently rose

Recent changes to the fixed government fees in an estate, with the date each took effect.
FeeChangeTook effectMove
Probate registry application fee£300 → £52613 July 2026+75.33%
Sealed copy of grant (ordered with application)£16.00 → £2.0013 July 2026−87.50%
Bankruptcy search (per name, online)£2 → £6Dec 2024+200%

The sealed-copy uplift falls hardest on estates with many institutional asset holders — each bank, broker, registrar, and foreign authority typically requires its own sealed copy. The bankruptcy-search figure is the online rate per name searched; postal searches are £7.

Sources: Court and Tribunal Fees (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2025 (SI 2025/351), amending the Non-Contentious Probate Fees Order 2004; SRA Transparency Rules; the published price pages of SRA-regulated firms in England & Wales, read July 2026. Hourly rates and value-element percentages in this section are stated before VAT; the grant-only and full-administration ranges elsewhere on this page state their own VAT basis. Third-party disbursements are extra. Informational only.

Every cost, itemised

Every cost you might encounter

The calculator above bands your total. This is the same total broken into every line item — what each one is for, and who charges it. All costs are paid from the estate, and the executor is reimbursed for anything paid personally.

Every cost you might encounter when obtaining probate in England and Wales, with typical amounts.
CostTypical amount
HMCTS probate application feeFlat fee for all applicants. Waived if the estate is £5,000 or less.£526
Sealed copies of the grantOrder 6–8 with your application — every bank, registrar and platform needs its own. The £2 rate applies only where the request accompanies the application: order one later, even before the grant issues, and it is £16.£2 each
Death certificate copiesFrom the register office or the GRO — the same price either way, separate from the grant. Count the institutions that actually insist on a certified copy before ordering: Tell Us Once covers government, and many banks accept notification through the Death Notification Service without one.£12.50 each
Solicitor fees — straightforward estateFixed fee, hourly, or by reference to the estate's value — firms differ. Always get a written estimate stating the basis and whether VAT and disbursements are extra.£3,000–£8,000 inc. VAT
Property valuationOnly where a full IHT account is needed — most estates are excepted and file no IHT405 at all. HMRC strongly advises a professional valuation and may refer any figure to the Valuation Office; for an ordinary home, written date-of-death valuations from two or three estate agents are commonly accepted. An online estimate is not.£250–£600
IHT specialist (taxable estates)Completing IHT400 and its schedules (IHT405, IHT407, IHT409…) without help risks errors HMRC may query, with interest running on any tax underpaid in the meantime.£1,500–£5,000+
Genealogist (missing beneficiaries)Either a fixed research fee charged to the estate, or — more often with ‘heir hunter’ firms — a percentage of the share of the beneficiary they find, paid by that beneficiary rather than the estate. Ask which before instructing.£500–£5,000+
Take these with you

Every cost above is paid from the estate, and an executor who pays one personally is entitled to be reimbursed — but only if it was recorded. These are free, no email required.

When professional advice is usually appropriate. Many straightforward estates can be administered by the personal representatives themselves. Professional advice is usually appropriate where there is tax to pay or a full account to file, a trust, a dispute, an insolvent estate, a business or foreign asset, a missing beneficiary, a beneficiary who is a minor or otherwise vulnerable, a capacity issue, material lifetime gifts, or any uncertainty about the will or who is entitled.

One error in any of these areas can expose the executor to personal liability.

Four ways to bring the cost down

Apply online, not on paper

Use GOV.UK's ‘Apply for probate’ service rather than the paper PA1P/PA1A. On HMCTS's own figures to May 2026, online applications averaged about 4 weeks against roughly 16 on paper — about three months sooner — and they trigger fewer queries, each of which pauses the application until it is resolved. (MyHMCTS is the separate portal for professional firms; a personal applicant does not need it.)

Order enough grant copies upfront

At £2 each with the application vs £16 each for anything requested afterwards, ordering 8–10 sealed copies upfront costs £16–20 instead of £128–160 later.

Get three solicitor quotes

Fee models are not comparable on headline price alone — a percentage retainer usually covers full administration, while a low fixed fee is often grant-only. Three written quotes, each stating exactly what is included and what is extra, is the only fair comparison.

Do the legwork yourself

Even with a solicitor instructed, gathering death certificates, valuations, statements and the original will yourself saves billable time — typically £200–£350 an hour.

If you want a structured walkthrough first

Two Valoren paid products built for the moment this calculator describes.

A common early misstep is notifying the bank before listing the direct debits that still need to clear — the Pack walks the right order. The Audit sequences your own records before the moment arrives, so the order is already set.

If you want the work done for you

Our own desk — or three public directories of independent professionals.

Two honest routes. Signum is Valoren's own service and we say so plainly; the three directories beneath it are the regulated UK bodies whose members do this work independently — searchable by postcode, and none of them pays Valoren a referral fee.

Signum · Valoren's own specialist desk
Have Signum carry it
Signum is part of Valoren — our own service. Where an estate needs more than a calculator can model — IHT400 complexity, business or agricultural relief, trusts, HMRC correspondence — Signum takes the file you have started here and carries it through, coordinated through named regulated professionals. It starts with a free intake, and if independent representation suits your estate better, the three directories below are exactly where we would send you.
valoren.uk/services
Prefer an independent adviser?
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.
Common questions

Probate cost, answered plainly.

How much is the probate application fee?

In England and Wales the probate application fee is £526 where the estate is valued over £5,000.

It is the same whether you apply yourself or through a solicitor. The fee is set by GOV.UK and paid to HM Courts & Tribunals Service.

Is there a probate fee if the estate is under £5,000?

No. Estates valued at £5,000 or less pay no probate application fee.

You may still choose to order sealed copies of the grant, which are charged separately.

How much are extra probate copies?

Extra sealed copies of the grant are £2 each when ordered with your application.

Most estates need several — 6 to 8 is typical — because banks, share registrars and other institutions each ask for their own original sealed copy rather than a photocopy. Order enough upfront: the £2 rate applies only where the request accompanies the application. Anything requested after you have submitted it costs £16 each — including before the grant has issued, which catches people out.

What is the difference between probate and estate administration?

Probate is obtaining the grant — the court document confirming who may deal with the estate. Estate administration is everything after: valuing and collecting assets, settling debts and tax, and distributing to the beneficiaries.

You can obtain the grant only (a smaller piece of work) or have a professional handle the full administration.

Why do solicitor probate costs vary so much?

Because the work varies. A simple estate with one property, organised records and no Inheritance Tax is a fraction of the work of a complex estate with a business, trusts, foreign assets or a dispute.

Firms also charge on different bases — a set fee, an hourly rate, or a percentage of the estate — so always ask, in writing, what a firm charges and how.

SRA Transparency Rules require firms to publish their basis.

Does this calculator include Inheritance Tax?

No. This tool estimates the cost of obtaining probate and administering the estate — not any Inheritance Tax that may be due.

Inheritance Tax is a separate calculation based on the estate's value and the available allowances; use the IHT Calculator for that.

Can I apply for probate myself?

Yes. A personal applicant can apply for the grant directly, online or by post, paying only the £526 court fee plus any sealed copies — no professional fee.

It suits simpler estates with organised records, no Inheritance Tax to pay and no contested issues.

The work is real, so allow time for it.

When might probate become complex?

Complexity rises with a full Inheritance Tax account, more than one property, foreign assets, business interests or trusts, many financial institutions, untraced or numerous beneficiaries, missing records, or any dispute.

Each adds work — and cost. This calculator scales the estimate to those factors.

How long does probate take?

In HMCTS's most recent update to probate practitioners (June 2026, data to end of May 2026), applications made online averaged about 4 weeks and applications on paper around 16.

The bigger divide is not the channel but whether HMCTS has to stop your application to ask for something. In the accredited Family Court Statistics for January to March 2026, grants that were never stopped issued in about 2 weeks on average; stopped ones took 14.

The wider estate administration — valuing assets, settling debts and tax, distributing to beneficiaries — typically takes 6 to 12 months on top, longer for complex or contested estates. A personal representative is not obliged to distribute within the first year; that period is known as the executor's year.

Do you always need probate?

Not always. Assets held jointly — a joint bank account, or a home owned as 'joint tenants' — usually pass automatically to the surviving owner by survivorship and may not need a grant.

Some banks release modest sole-name balances against the death certificate alone.

Probate is normally needed where the deceased held assets in their sole name above an institution's limit, or owned property as sole owner or tenant-in-common.

How can I reduce the cost of probate?

The biggest lever is who does the work: a personal applicant with organised records can obtain the grant for the £526 court fee plus sealed copies, with no professional fee.

Where you do want help, grant-only support (a professional gets the grant, you administer the rest) costs far less than full administration. Arriving organised keeps professional time — and cost — down, and you can instruct a firm in a lower-cost region since probate is largely remote.

Always ask, in writing, how a firm charges (fixed fee, hourly, or a percentage).

How much does probate cost for a £500,000 estate?

The government fee is the same whatever the estate is worth: £526 to apply (estates over £5,000) plus £2 per sealed copy — and a personal applicant can obtain the grant for that alone.

Where a professional is instructed on a genuinely straightforward estate, published examples of full-administration fees commonly fall within a broad range of approximately £3,000–£8,000 including VAT, and grant-only help approximately £1,080–£4,200 including VAT, based on published examples from the firms reviewed.

These are indicative, not a tariff or a quote: the final fee depends on the work required and what the quotation includes, and court fees, statutory notices, valuations, conveyancing and other third-party costs are additional. Enter your figures in the calculator above to see the three routes for your estate.

Is there VAT on solicitor probate fees?

Yes. Solicitors' professional fees attract VAT at 20% on top of their quoted rate — a £3,000 fee becomes £3,600 before disbursements.

Always ask for a total cost estimate including VAT and all disbursements (court fees, death certificate copies, Land Registry searches) in writing before instructing. Court fees carry no VAT. Some third-party costs do — a surveyor's valuation, for example — and some search fees attract VAT when the firm bills them on to you. Ask for the VAT position line by line.

Who actually pays probate fees — the executor or the estate?

The estate pays. Court fees, solicitor fees, valuations and death certificate copies are all administration expenses charged against the estate before any distribution to beneficiaries.

The executor may need to pay upfront from personal funds and claim reimbursement, since the estate's own cash is frozen until the grant arrives — keep every receipt. Costs are recoverable as a first charge on the estate, ahead of legacies.

What happens to probate fees if the estate turns out to be insolvent?

Administration expenses — including the HMCTS fee and solicitor costs — rank second in the statutory order of priority, after funeral expenses, under the Administration of Estates Act 1925. They're paid before any unsecured creditors and well before beneficiaries.

If the estate has no liquid assets at all, the executor may need to pay costs personally, and may not recover them in full if the estate is deeply insolvent. Get a solvency assessment early if in doubt.

Reference

Probate costs in full, every figure sourced

Every row below links to the source it came from, and says what kind of source that is — the law itself, GOV.UK, a named firm's published price, or our own estimate. Check any single line rather than taking the page's word for it.

What each route actually includes

Who does which job under each of the three routes — doing it yourself, paying for grant-only help, or instructing full estate administration.

Who does which job under each of the three routes — doing it yourself, paying for grant-only help, or instructing full estate administration.
The jobDo it yourselfGrant-only helpFull administrationSource
Valuing the estateYou do itYou do itThe firm does itOur est.
The Inheritance Tax accountYou complete IHT400 or the excepted-estate routeUsually the firm, as part of obtaining the grantThe firm does itOur est.
Applying for the grantYou apply (PA1P/PA1A or online)The firm appliesThe firm appliesOur est.
Collecting in the assetsYou do itYou do itThe firm does itOur est.
Paying debts and liabilitiesYou do itYou do itThe firm does itOur est.
Keeping estate accountsYou do itYou do itThe firm does itOur est.
Distributing to beneficiariesYou do itYou do itThe firm does itOur est.
Who is legally responsibleYouYouYouGOV.UK ↗4 Sept 2026

Sources: GOV.UK — Dealing with the estate of someone who's died

Probate application fees by estate value

The official HMCTS probate application fee for England & Wales, showing that the fee is a single flat charge above £5,000 rather than a sliding scale.

The official HMCTS probate application fee for England & Wales, showing that the fee is a single flat charge above £5,000 rather than a sliding scale.
Estate valueApplication feeSealed/office copiesHow to applySource
£5,000 or under£0 — no fee (GOV.UK, 4 Sep 2026)£2 each with the application; £16 each after — per GOV.UK guidance (see note)Online (GOV.UK probate service) or by post — PA1P (will) / PA1A (no will)GOV.UK ↗4 Sept 2026
Over £5,000 — single band, no further tiers£526 flat, from 13 Jul 2026 (was £300)£2 each with the application; £16 each after — from 13 Jul 2026Online or by post (PA1P/PA1A) — same two routes at any estate valueStatute ↗4 Sept 2026
Example — £50,000 estate£526 (from 13 Jul 2026)£2 each with the application; £16 each afterOnline or by postStatute ↗4 Sept 2026
Example — £2,000,000 estate£526 — same as £50,000; fee does not rise with value£2 each with the application; £16 each afterOnline or by postStatute ↗4 Sept 2026
Extra copies requested WITH the application (estate over £5,000)— copy fee, not the application fee£2 each (from 13 Jul 2026)Ordered when you submit — online service or PA1P/PA1AStatute ↗4 Sept 2026
Extra copies requested AFTER the application is submitted— copy fee, not the application fee£16 each (from 13 Jul 2026)Any later request — before or after the grant issuesStatute ↗4 Sept 2026

Sources: GOV.UK — Applying for probate: Fees · GOV.UK — Applying for probate: Apply for probate (online vs paper route, PA1P/PA1A) · GOV.UK news — Court and tribunal fees: updates from July 2026 · legislation.gov.uk — The Court and Tribunal Fees (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2026 (SI 2026/642), art.3(2)(a) and 3(2)(g) · legislation.gov.uk — The Court and Tribunal Fees (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Change of coming into force) Order 2026 (SI 2026/665)

How probate firms charge

Compares the main ways UK probate firms price their work — fixed fee, hourly rate and percentage-of-estate ("value element") charging — including the legal limits on ad valorem billing, for readers comparing quotes.

Compares the main ways UK probate firms price their work — fixed fee, hourly rate and percentage-of-estate ("value element") charging — including the legal limits on ad valorem billing, for readers comparing quotes.
Fee modelHow it's calculatedWhat it coversWhat to watchSource
Fixed fee — grant onlyOne price agreed before work starts for the probate / letters of administration application aloneIHT return, statement of truth, lodging the application — you still do valuations, bank contact and the paperworkBackhouse Solicitors (page dated 2 Apr 2026): from £1,000+VAT (£1,200 inc. VAT at 20%); IHT400 estates £1,500–£2,000+VAT. The Probate Network (updated 30 Jul 2026): grant-only from £499. Ask what is excluded before you signMarket ↗4 Sept 2026
Fixed fee — full administrationOne price for the whole estate, usually quoted only after the firm has seen the assetsGrant application, collecting assets, paying debts and IHT, estate accounts, distributionBackhouse (2 Apr 2026): £5,000–£8,000+VAT (£6,000–£9,600 inc. VAT) for a straightforward estate — one property, up to 3 accounts, no IHT, up to 4 beneficiaries. MHHP Law (16 Jul 2026): minimum £1,500+VAT; £2,500+VAT (£3,000 inc.) example for one property, up to 6 accounts, no IHT, under £500,000; 4-year average under £2,000+VAT; highest £6,000+VAT. The Probate Network (30 Jul 2026): £10,000+ for full administration. Disbursements always extraMarket ↗4 Sept 2026
Hourly rateTime actually spent, billed at each fee-earner's own rate — paralegal cheapest, partner dearestWhatever is instructed, grant-only or full, itemised on the billThe Probate Network (30 Jul 2026): £250–£450+VAT/hr (£300–£540 inc.). Premier Solicitors (undated): £175 paralegal to £450+ senior partner, VAT basis not stated. Backhouse (2 Apr 2026): £275–£400/hr by grade, VAT basis not stated. MHHP (16 Jul 2026): £300+VAT. No cap — ask which grade does the work and for a written estimate; the bill must still be fair and reasonable under SI 2009/1931 art.3Market ↗4 Sept 2026
Percentage of estate value (the 'value element') — market practiceA percentage of the gross estate, sometimes blended with hourly time costsQuoted for full administration in the sources checked, not grant-onlyThe Probate Network (30 Jul 2026) and Premier Solicitors: 1%–5% of the estate, e.g. 2% on £500,000 = £10,000+VAT (£12,000 inc.). Backhouse (2 Apr 2026): 'as a guide' 1%–2% of gross value, alongside its £5,000–£8,000+VAT fee. A % charges for the estate's size, not the hours: one house and three accounts is the same work at £1m as at £200,000Market ↗4 Sept 2026
Value element — the legal test, not a going rateCourt of Appeal, Jemma Trust Co Ltd v Liptrott [2003] EWCA Civ 1476 (24 Oct 2003), under art.3(f) of the Solicitors' (Non-Contentious Business) Remuneration Order 1994 (SI 1994/2616): a separate value charge on top of time is permitted only if the total bill stays fair and reasonable, and any value scale should be regressive. Same test today in art.3(f) SI 2009/1931 (in force 11 Aug 2009)The general law for any solicitor's non-contentious estate bill in England & Wales — not a tariff, not one firm's productThe firm had claimed 1.5% of the estate plus 0.75% of the home on an estate of just under £10m. The court indicated a regressive scale — 1.5% to £750,000; 0.5% from £750,000 to £3m; 1/6% from £3m to £6m; 1/12% above £6m — and sent the bill back for reassessment. Value may be counted once, in the rate or as a %, never bothMarket ↗4 Sept 2026

Sources: The Solicitors' (Non-Contentious Business) Remuneration Order 2009 (SI 2009/1931), art.3 · Jemma Trust Company Ltd v Liptrott & Ors [2003] EWCA Civ 1476 — case note quoting the judgment · Law Society Gazette report on Jemma Trust v Liptrott · SRA — Transparency in price and service guidance · Wigg & Co — note on the 2009 Remuneration Order and value-element billing · Backhouse Solicitors — published probate fees · MHHP Law — fixed fee probate pricing · The Probate Network — how much do solicitors charge for probate · Premier Solicitors — probate fees blog · The Gazette — how to choose a probate solicitor (historic ad valorem scale)

Every cost that can arise administering an estate

The fullest itemisation of costs — statutory fees, professional charges and market estimates — that can arise administering an estate in England & Wales, for readers pricing out the full job rather than just the headline probate fee.

The fullest itemisation of costs — statutory fees, professional charges and market estimates — that can arise administering an estate in England & Wales, for readers pricing out the full job rather than just the headline probate fee.
CostTypical amountWho charges itWhen it's paidSource
Probate application fee (estate over £5,000)£526 — no VAT (from 13 Jul 2026)HMCTS Probate RegistryWith the application, before the grant issuesStatute ↗4 Sept 2026
Probate application fee (estate £5,000 or under)£0 — no feeHMCTS Probate RegistryN/AStatute ↗4 Sept 2026
Extra sealed copies of the grant, ordered with the application£2 each — no VAT (from 13 Jul 2026)HMCTS Probate RegistryWith the applicationStatute ↗4 Sept 2026
Extra sealed copies of the grant, ordered after it has issued£16 each — no VAT (from 13 Jul 2026)HMCTS Probate RegistryAny time after the grant, as institutions need originalsStatute ↗4 Sept 2026
Duplicate or second grant for the same estate£22 — no VAT (from 13 Jul 2026)HMCTS Probate RegistryOnly if the original grant is lost or a further grant is neededStatute ↗4 Sept 2026
Death certificate — additional certified copies£12.50 each standard; £38.50 priority (next working day if ordered by 4pm) — no VAT (from 28 May 2024)General Register Office / local register officeThroughout administration, as institutions require originalsStatute ↗4 Sept 2026
Section 27 Trustee Act notice — The London Gazette£96.55 + VAT (£115.86 inc) by web form/template; £131.70 + VAT (£158.04 inc) other channels (2026 tariff)The Gazette (official public record)Before distributing — opens the 2-month creditor windowMarket ↗4 Sept 2026
Section 27 notice — local newspaper, placed via The Gazette£240 + VAT (£288 inc), web form/template only (2026 tariff); direct newspaper rates varyThe Gazette placement service / local newspaperAlongside the Gazette notice, same 2-month windowMarket ↗4 Sept 2026
Land Charges bankruptcy-only search (form K16), per name£6 electronic, £7 by post — no VAT (from 9 Dec 2024)HM Land Registry, Land Charges DepartmentBefore paying each beneficiary, to confirm they are not bankruptStatute ↗4 Sept 2026
Land Registry official copy of the register or title plan£7 electronic, £11 by post, per document — no VAT (from 9 Dec 2024)HM Land RegistryDuring administration, to confirm titleStatute ↗4 Sept 2026
Land Registry fee to assent/transfer the property to a beneficiary (AS1 with AP1, Scale 2)£45–£305 by post, banded on property value; £20–£140 via portal (conveyancers' Business e-services only) — no VAT (from 9 Dec 2024)HM Land RegistryWhen the property is assented or transferred, not soldStatute ↗4 Sept 2026
RICS (Red Book) probate valuation — property£450 + VAT (£540 inc), site visit — one named RICS firm's fixed priceChartered (RICS) surveyorBefore submitting the IHT400Market ↗4 Sept 2026
Household contents / chattels valuation£300 + VAT (£360 inc) online; £450 + VAT (£540 inc) with visit; up to £250 extra for research on rare or high-value itemsRICS-qualified valuer or auctioneerBefore submitting the IHT400Market ↗4 Sept 2026
National Will Register search£65 inc VAT (register check); £140 inc VAT (Combined search incl. REACH and Missing Will Noticeboard)The National Will Register (Certainty)Early on, to confirm no later will existsMarket ↗4 Sept 2026
Financial / unclaimed asset search£210 + VAT (£252 inc) — one named firm's list priceProbate research firm (e.g. Title Research)Early on, if the deceased's assets are not fully knownMarket ↗4 Sept 2026
Missing-beneficiary indemnity insuranceTypically 0.5%–1% of the net estate for distribution, one-off premium (insurance — IPT applies, not VAT)Specialist insurer, via a broker or research firmBefore final distribution, instead of further tracingMarket ↗4 Sept 2026
Genealogist / heir-hunter contingency feeAround 20% of the traced heir's share (VAT treatment varies — check the agreement)Probate genealogist or heir-locator firmDeducted from the beneficiary's share once traced and paidMarket ↗4 Sept 2026
House clearance3-bed house £500–£1,200; probate clearance £400–£1,500 (Q3 2026); VAT status not stated by source — VAT-registered firms add 20%House clearance companyBefore selling or handing back the propertyMarket ↗4 Sept 2026
Unoccupied property insurance£35 (3 months, basic) to £570 (12 months, top tier), before Insurance Premium Tax — one insurer's book, Mar 2025–Apr 2026Specialist insurerThroughout the vacancy — standard cover usually stops after 30 consecutive days emptyMarket ↗4 Sept 2026
Energy standing charges on an empty property≈£26/month with zero usage (57.19p electricity + 29.04p gas per day, incl. 5% VAT, 1 Jul–30 Sep 2026 cap; ≈£25.70 from 1 Oct 2026)Energy supplierThroughout the vacancyGOV.UK ↗4 Sept 2026
Storage of household contentsFrom £18/month (small unit); 50 sq ft ≈ £72/month; larger units more — inc VAT (Mar 2026)Self-storage or removal firmDuring clearance, before sale or distribution of contentsMarket ↗4 Sept 2026
Conveyancing — sale of the estate property (legal fee only)Average £1,072 + VAT (£1,286 inc); median £962 + VAT (£1,155 inc), freehold, excl. disbursements (Apr 2026 survey of 146 firms)Solicitor or licensed conveyancerOn completion of the saleMarket ↗4 Sept 2026
Conveyancing — Deed of Assent (AS1) to a beneficiaryFrom £299 fixed fee (VAT status not stated by source) — one named firmSolicitor or licensed conveyancerOn transfer of title where there is no saleMarket ↗4 Sept 2026
Capital Gains Tax on a sale by the personal representatives24% flat rate for personal representatives (from 6 Apr 2026); £3,000 annual exempt amount for the tax year of death and the next twoHMRCOn a chargeable disposal during administrationGOV.UK ↗4 Sept 2026
Interest on unpaid Inheritance Tax7.75% per year (from 9 Jan 2026)HMRCAccrues from the day after the end of the sixth month following the month of deathGOV.UK ↗4 Sept 2026
Accountant / solicitor time on the estate's tax return and R185s£150–£450 + VAT per hour (£180–£540 inc) — general probate hourly rate, not a task-specific feeAccountant or solicitorEach tax year of the administration periodMarket ↗4 Sept 2026
Executor loan / IHT bridging finance1.5%–2% per month simple interest + 1%–2% arrangement fee; representative 26.5% APR — one named lender (no VAT on finance)Specialist probate lenderIf IHT must be paid before assets can be sold or releasedMarket ↗4 Sept 2026
Resealing a Commonwealth grant in England & Wales£526 (estate over £5,000); no fee at £5,000 or under — no VAT (from 13 Jul 2026)HMCTS Probate RegistryInstead of a fresh grant, where a recognised jurisdiction's grant existsStatute ↗4 Sept 2026
Apostille (legalisation) of a document£45 per document, standard service, plus postage/courierFCDO Legalisation OfficeWhen a foreign grant, overseas beneficiary or overseas asset needs legalised paperworkGOV.UK ↗4 Sept 2026
Certified translation of documents£30–£55 per page (Apr 2026; VAT not stated by source)Certified translator / agencyWhen a foreign will, certificate or grant must be filed in EnglishMarket ↗4 Sept 2026

Sources: GOV.UK — Applying for probate: fees · legislation.gov.uk — The Court and Tribunal Fees (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2026 (SI 2026/642) · legislation.gov.uk — Registration of Births, Deaths, Marriages and Civil Partnerships (Fees and Records) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (SI 2024/598) · legislation.gov.uk — The Land Charges Fees Rules 2024 (SI 2024/925) · GOV.UK — HM Land Registry: Registration Services fees · GOV.UK — CG30600, Capital Gains Manual: personal representatives' annual exempt amount · GOV.UK — HMRC interest rates for late and early payments · GOV.UK — Get a document legalised (apostille) · Ofgem — Changes to the energy price cap, 1 Oct–31 Dec 2026 · The Gazette — Place a notice: pricing · Title Research — Financial asset search · Title Research — Missing beneficiary indemnity insurance costs · Title Research — Heir hunters: how to get a fair deal · Estatesearch — Will Register Search · SAM Conveyancing — Deed of Assent · SolicitorCost.com — Conveyancing fees 2026 · Vision Consulting — Probate costs UK · Clifton Private Finance — Executor loans · Winfields Surveyors — Probate valuation fees · Avery Associates — Probate valuation · Avery Associates — Probate house clearance costs 2026 · Alan Boswell Group — Cost of empty house insurance · Blue Bear Storage — House move storage costs UK · LastingPost — Valuing stocks & shares

Grants of representation, and which form applies

Which grant of representation applies to an estate, who is legally entitled to apply, and the HMCTS form or application route to use — England and Wales; the application fee does not vary by grant type.

Which grant of representation applies to an estate, who is legally entitled to apply, and the HMCTS form or application route to use — England and Wales; the application fee does not vary by grant type.
Grant typeWhen it appliesWho appliesForm / how to applySource
Grant of probateA valid will names executor(s) who are able and willing to actThe executor(s) named in the will (NCPR 1987 r.20(a)); no more than four on one grant (s.114(1) Senior Courts Act 1981)Online via GOV.UK, or paper form PA1PStatute ↗4 Sept 2026
Letters of administration with will annexedA valid will exists but no executor can act — none named, all died, renounced or lacking capacityNext person entitled under NCPR 1987 r.20(b)–(f) — in practice usually a residuary beneficiaryOnline via GOV.UK, or paper form PA1P — the same form; GOV.UK: for 'a beneficiary if there are no executors'Statute ↗4 Sept 2026
Letters of administration (intestacy)No valid willNext of kin in the NCPR 1987 r.22(1) order — spouse or civil partner; children (and issue of a child who died first); parents; whole-blood siblings; half-blood siblings; grandparents; uncles and auntsOnline via GOV.UK, or paper form PA1AStatute ↗4 Sept 2026
Resealing a grant from a Colonial Probates Act countryA grant already issued by the court of a country to which the Colonial Probates Acts 1892 and 1927 apply, needed for assets in England and WalesThe person to whom the grant was made, or anyone they authorise in writing (NCPR 1987 r.39(1))Paper only — MyHMCTS cannot take it. Practitioner form PA1P (will) or PA1A (no will), Q2.15–2.16 'Reseals'; lodge the grant, a certified copy of any will and an IHT account (r.39(2),(5))Statute ↗4 Sept 2026
Grant limited to part of an estate (s.113 Senior Courts Act 1981)The court severs the grant to cover part only — e.g. a trust holding; not where the estate is known to be insolvent, except a trust estate with no beneficial interest (s.113(2))A person entitled to a grant, showing how anyone with prior entitlement to the whole estate has been cleared off (NCPR 1987 r.51(b))Application to a district judge or registrar, supported by an affidavit or witness statement stating the grounds and whether the estate is known to be insolvent (r.51, as amended 2 Nov 2020); grant type and limitation entered at practitioner PA1P/PA1A Q2.15–2.16Statute ↗4 Sept 2026

Sources: Non-Contentious Probate Rules 1987 (SI 1987/2024) — rule 20, order of priority where there is a will · NCPR 1987 — rule 22, order of priority on intestacy · NCPR 1987 — rule 39, resealing under the Colonial Probates Acts 1892 and 1927 · NCPR 1987 — rule 51, grants to part of an estate · Senior Courts Act 1981, section 113 (power to grant probate/administration limited to part of an estate) · HMCTS Form PA1P — Apply for probate by post if there is a will · HMCTS Form PA1A (citizen), current version · GOV.UK guidance — Apply for probate on paper as a practitioner (confirms PA1P covers will-annexed administration; confirms resealing is paper-only with no MyHMCTS/PA1P/PA1A route) · The Court and Tribunal Fees (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2026 (SI 2026/642) — fee schedule confirming one fee item covers grant applications and resealing

Scotland and Northern Ireland — how probate differs

Fees and process for Confirmation (Scotland) and Probate/Letters of Administration (Northern Ireland), compared with England & Wales, current from 1 April 2026.

Fees and process for Confirmation (Scotland) and Probate/Letters of Administration (Northern Ireland), compared with England & Wales, current from 1 April 2026.
Jurisdiction & estateProcessFee (from 1 April 2026)Where you applyKey difference from England & WalesSource
Scotland — small estate (£36,000 or less, SCTS definition)Confirmation, form C1; sheriff clerk prepares the inventory with youNo statutory court fee; copy, duplicate or certified-extract confirmations still charged if ordered (no VAT)Sheriff clerk's office for the area where the deceased last lived (any sheriff clerk if that one is inconvenient)Free help from court staff; no bond of caution where the sheriff clerk prepares the inventory (since 4 Mar 2016) — still needed if a solicitor prepares itGOV.UK ↗4 Sept 2026
Scotland — estate over £36,000 up to £50,000Confirmation, form C1 — a "large estate" by SCTS definition, though still inside the fee-free bandNo fee (Sheriff Court Fees Order 2026, SSI 2026/74, sch.1 para.3(a): estate not exceeding £50,000; from 1 Apr 2026)Sheriff clerk's office (commissary), sheriff courtSCTS staff are prohibited from helping complete the C1 above £36,000 even though no court fee is charged; solicitor advisedStatute ↗4 Sept 2026
Scotland — estate over £50,000 up to £250,000Confirmation, form C1, lodged by executor or solicitor£351, no VAT (Sheriff Court Fees Order 2026, SSI 2026/74, in force 1 Apr 2026; £341 to 31 Mar 2026)Sheriff clerk's office (commissary), sheriff courtFee banded by estate value; E&W is a flat £526 on any estate over £5,000 (from 13 Jul 2026), nothing at or under £5,000Statute ↗4 Sept 2026
Scotland — estate over £250,000Confirmation, form C1, lodged by executor or solicitor£705, no VAT (Sheriff Court Fees Order 2026, SSI 2026/74, in force 1 Apr 2026; £684 to 31 Mar 2026)Sheriff clerk's office (commissary), sheriff courtTop band. Certificates of confirmation: £10 each ordered with the inventory; ordered later, £23 for the first (incl. search fee) and £10 each furtherStatute ↗4 Sept 2026
Northern Ireland — estate over £10,000Probate (form NIPF1, with a will) or Letters of Administration (NIPF2, no will)£326 court fee; personal applicants pay a further £81 (total £407), no VAT. No fee where assessed value is £10,000 or under. Rises to £333 + £83 on 1 Apr 2027 (SR 2026/35)NICTS Probate Office, Belfast or Londonderry — online probate account or paper formSeparate £81 personal-application fee that solicitor-led applications do not pay; E&W has no equivalentStatute ↗4 Sept 2026
Northern Ireland — copies and duplicate grantsCertified or sealed copy of any document; duplicate grant£17 per certified/sealed copy; £244 for a duplicate grant (SR 2026/35, from 1 Apr 2026; no VAT)NICTS Probate OfficeDearer per item than Scotland (£10–£23 per certificate) or E&W (£2 sealed copy with the application, £16 after; duplicate grant £22)Statute ↗4 Sept 2026

Sources: Sheriff Court Fees Order 2026 (SSI 2026/74), Schedule 1 — in force 1 April 2026 · Sheriff Court Fees Order 2024 (SSI 2024/235), Schedule, Part 1 — prior rates, used to verify the 2026 table · SCTS — Small Estates guidance · SCTS — Large Estates guidance · Department of Justice NI — Court of Judicature (Non-Contentious Probate) Fee Schedule, 1 April 2026 · nidirect — Apply for probate (NI) · nidirect — Probate overview

The probate timeline, and what each stage costs

A stage-by-stage timeline of the probate process for England and Wales, from registering the death to final distribution, showing what happens and what it costs at each point.

A stage-by-stage timeline of the probate process for England and Wales, from registering the death to final distribution, showing what happens and what it costs at each point.
WhenWhat happensWhat it costsSource
Days 0–5Register the death. The 5 days run from the medical examiner's office confirming you can register — not from the date of death.Registration free. Certified copies £12.50 each (priority £38.50). Order several — needed repeatedly.GOV.UK ↗4 Sept 2026
Within 28 days of getting the reference numberTell Us Once — one report to HMRC, DWP, Passport Office, DVLA, the council and public-sector pension schemes. The registrar gives you the reference.No fee.GOV.UK ↗4 Sept 2026
Weeks 1–8+ (no statutory deadline)Value the estate at date of death — property, accounts, investments, debts. Feeds the IHT account.No official fee. RICS property valuation typically £150–£500+ inc VAT (Valoren estimate).Our est.
At least 3 weeks before paying any taxGet an Inheritance Tax reference number from HMRC (online, or form IHT422). Needed before sending IHT400 and before paying.Free.GOV.UK ↗4 Sept 2026
6 months after the end of the month of deathPay any Inheritance Tax due (s.226(3) IHTA 1984), or the first of ten yearly instalments on qualifying assets such as land (s.227). Separate from the filing deadline.IHT at up to 40% above available nil-rate bands. Interest runs on unpaid tax from this date (s.233).Statute ↗4 Sept 2026
12 months from the end of the month of deathDeliver the IHT400 account to HMRC (s.216(6)(a) IHTA 1984) — a different deadline from the 6-month payment date.No fee to file. Late: £100 penalty (s.245(2)(a)); a further £100 if still undelivered 6 months after the deadline (s.245(3)).Statute ↗4 Sept 2026
Usually within 20 working days of HMRC receiving IHT400 or the tax payment, whichever is laterHMRC sends a unique code confirming the tax position. You cannot apply for probate in England and Wales without it.Free.GOV.UK ↗4 Sept 2026
Once IHT is dealt with (or none is due)Apply for the grant — PA1P (will) or PA1A (no will), online or on paper, entering the HMRC code where IHT400 was sent.£526 if the estate is over £5,000; no fee at £5,000 or under (SI 2026/642, in force 13 Jul 2026 via SI 2026/665). Copies of the grant: £2 each with the application, £16 each afterwards. Court fee — no VAT.Statute ↗4 Sept 2026
Application to grantFamily Court Statistics Quarterly, Jan–Mar 2026 (published 25 Jun 2026): mean 5 weeks, median 1 week from submission to grant. Not stopped: 2 weeks. Stopped (queries, missing documents, mismatched figures): 14 weeks. 93% of applications digital.None beyond the fee paid.GOV.UK ↗4 Sept 2026
On issueGrant of probate or letters of administration issued. Personal representatives can now access accounts, sell or transfer assets and act for the estate.None (beyond further copies at £16 each).GOV.UK ↗4 Sept 2026
From the grant; notice period not less than 2 monthss.27 Trustee Act 1925 notice in The Gazette — plus a newspaper circulating where any land is situated — inviting unknown creditors and claimants to come forward before distribution.Gazette deceased-estates notice £131.70 inc VAT (£96.55 ex VAT), Gazette price list checked 4 Sep 2026. Newspaper notice varies by title — no fixed fee.Statute ↗4 Sept 2026
6 months from the grantDeadline for an Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 claim without the court's permission (s.4). Many personal representatives wait this out before distributing.No cost to the estate unless a claim is brought.Statute ↗4 Sept 2026
After the s.27 notice period endsCollect in assets and settle debts — close accounts, sell or transfer property and investments, pay funeral, administration and creditor costs.No official fee. Asset-specific costs (conveyancing, share transfers) vary by estate.Our est.
Up to 1 year from the death ("the executor's year")s.44 Administration of Estates Act 1925: a personal representative is not bound to distribute before one year from the death. Complex estates routinely take longer.None.Statute ↗4 Sept 2026
Each tax year of the administration periodReport and pay Income Tax / CGT on estate income. Income of £500 or less in a tax year: no need to report (from 6 Apr 2024). Simple estates report by letter if under £2.5m at death, under £10,000 total tax and under £500,000 of sales in any year; otherwise register the estate and file a Trust and Estate tax return.Tax at the applicable rates. No fee to report.GOV.UK ↗4 Sept 2026
Once debts, tax, the s.27 notice and the 1975 Act window are clearPrepare estate accounts and distribute. A Land Charges bankruptcy search (form K16) against each beneficiary first is standard protective practice.Bankruptcy search £6 online / £7 by post, per name (Land Charges Fees Rules 2024, SI 2024/925, from 9 Dec 2024; confirmed on the gov.uk Land Charges fees page). No VAT. No other official fee.Statute ↗4 Sept 2026

Sources: GOV.UK — Order a copy of a birth, death or marriage certificate · GOV.UK — Tell Us Once · GOV.UK — Apply for an Inheritance Tax reference (IHT422) · Inheritance Tax Act 1984, s.216 (delivery of accounts) · Inheritance Tax Act 1984, s.226 (payment deadline) · STEP — Probate application procedure revised in England and Wales · The Court and Tribunal Fees (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2026 (SI 2026/642) · The Court and Tribunal Fees (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Change of coming into force) Order 2026 (SI 2026/665) · Family Court Statistics Quarterly: January to March 2026 (GOV.UK, published 25 June 2026) · GOV.UK — Applying for probate: apply for probate · Trustee Act 1925, s.27 · The Gazette — deceased estates notice pricing · Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975, s.4 · Administration of Estates Act 1925, s.44 (executor's year) · HMRC manual TSEM7453 — deceased persons, income during administration · The Land Charges Fees Rules 2024 (SI 2024/925)

Caveats and contentious probate procedures

Fees and forms for the contentious/protective probate procedures that sit around a caveat — England and Wales, as currently in force.

Fees and forms for the contentious/protective probate procedures that sit around a caveat — England and Wales, as currently in force.
ProcedureWhat it doesFormFee (E&W)Source
Enter a caveatStops a grant being sealed. Lasts 6 months from the date of entry; cannot stop a grant sealed on the same day it is entered (NCPR r.44(1), (3)(a)).PA8A (HMCTS version of NCPR Form 3) — by post, or online£4 (Sch.1 item 4, from 13 Jul 2026)Statute ↗4 Sept 2026
Extend a caveatAdds a further 6 months from the date the caveat was due to expire. Apply within the last month of the current period; repeatable (r.44(3)).Written application to the registry where the caveat was entered (post or electronic) — no numbered form£4 per extension (Sch.1 item 4 'entry or extension', from 13 Jul 2026)Statute ↗4 Sept 2026
Warning to a caveatRequires the caveator to state any contrary interest. If no appearance or summons follows within 14 days, the caveat lapses once the warner files an affidavit/witness statement of service (r.44(5), (12)).Form 4 (NCPR), issued from the nominated registry — Leeds District Probate Registry unless another is nominated (r.44(15))No fee — no Sch.1 item; art.2 confines chargeable fees to Sch.1Statute ↗4 Sept 2026
Appearance to a warningCaveator with a contrary interest keeps the caveat alive; it then stands until a probate claim is started (r.44(13)). Enter within 14 days of service — or later, if the warner has not yet filed the r.44(12) affidavit/witness statement (r.44(10)).Form 5 (NCPR), filed at the nominated registry; sealed copy served on the warnerNo fee — no Sch.1 itemStatute ↗4 Sept 2026
Citation (accept/refuse, take a grant, or propound a will)Forces a passive or intermeddling executor to act (r.47), or requires the executors and beneficiaries named in a will to propound it (r.48).Citor's own document, verified by affidavit/witness statement (r.46(2)); must be settled by a district judge or registrar before issue (r.46(1)) — no numbered PA form£5 per document settled (Sch.1 item 11) + £4 for the caveat the citor must enter first (r.46(3); Sch.1 item 4)Statute ↗4 Sept 2026
Standing search for a grantSends you an office copy (unsealed) of any matching grant, with will, issued up to 12 months before entry or within 6 months after (r.43(2)). Extendable 6 months at a time, applied for in the last month (r.43(3)).PA1S (NCPR Form 2) — by post, or online£4 per 6-month period, one copy grant and will included (Sch.1 item 5, from 13 Jul 2026)Statute ↗4 Sept 2026
Subpoena to bring in a testamentary documentHigh Court orders a person holding a will or purported will to bring it in (s.123 Senior Courts Act 1981); issued by a district judge or registrar on application (r.50(2)).Application supported by affidavit/witness statement setting out the grounds (r.50(2)) — no numbered PA formNo Sch.1 fee for the subpoena itself. Item 11 (£5 per document) applies only if the registrar settles a document; r.50 does not require settlingStatute ↗4 Sept 2026
Remove or substitute a personal representative — s.50 Administration of Justice Act 1985High Court, at its discretion, appoints a substitute PR or removes one or more (not all) of several PRs, on application by a PR or beneficiary (s.50(1)).Claim in the High Court, Chancery Division (CPR 57.13). Part 8 (N208) only where no substantial dispute of fact (CPR 8.1); must be accompanied by the grant (or will) and written evidence (PD57 para 13.1)£663 High Court issue fee — Civil Proceedings Fees Order 2008 Sch.1 fee 1.5 'any other remedy' (from 13 Jul 2026), not a probate-registry fee. A £1,334 hearing fee (fee 2.1(a)) may follow if a trial date is fixedStatute ↗4 Sept 2026

Sources: Non-Contentious Probate Fees Order 2004, Sch.1 (revised, in force) · Non-Contentious Probate Fees Order 2004, art.2 (fees confined to Sch.1 items) · Court and Tribunal Fees (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2026, art.3 (the £3→£4 / £23→£24 uplifts, in force 13 Jul 2026) · Non-Contentious Probate Rules 1987, r.44 (caveats, warnings, appearances) · Non-Contentious Probate Rules 1987, r.46 (citations — general; mandatory settling) · Non-Contentious Probate Rules 1987, r.47 (citation to accept/refuse/take a grant) · Non-Contentious Probate Rules 1987, r.48 (citation to propound a will) · Non-Contentious Probate Rules 1987, r.50 (subpoena to bring in a will, s.123 Senior Courts Act 1981) · GOV.UK — PA8A: apply to stop a grant of probate by post (caveat) · GOV.UK — PA1S: find a will or probate document (standing search) · GOV.UK — civil court fees (EX50), updated 13 Jul 2026 — Part 8 claim fee, fees order 1.5

Inheritance Tax deadlines, interest and forms

Statutory and HMRC-published deadlines, interest and forms governing Inheritance Tax payment and reporting, for the probate cost calculator's IHT-deadlines reference table.

Statutory and HMRC-published deadlines, interest and forms governing Inheritance Tax payment and reporting, for the probate cost calculator's IHT-deadlines reference table.
ObligationDeadline / current positionWhat happens if late or missedFormSource
Pay the Inheritance Tax due6 months after the end of the month of death (death in January → pay by 31 July)Interest runs from that date until paid (s.233); a payment on account is normally needed before the grant issuesIHT400Statute ↗4 Sept 2026
Deliver the Inheritance Tax account12 months from the end of the month of death, or 3 months from when the personal representatives first act, if later£100; a further £100 if 6+ months late (both capped at the tax due); over 12 months late, up to £3,000 more — HMRC's scale is £200 plus £10–£400 a month by tax at stake, £3,200 total maximumIHT400Statute ↗4 Sept 2026
Late-payment interest rate7.75% on unpaid tax; 2.75% on repayments — from 9 January 2026 (Bank Rate 3.75% + 4% / − 1%), unchanged at 4 Sep 2026Charged from the 6-month due date until paid; moves with Bank Rate — check the live gov.uk tableGOV.UK ↗4 Sept 2026
Pay by instalments on qualifying propertyLand, a business, controlling or qualifying unlisted shares, and Agricultural/Business Relief property: 10 equal yearly instalments, first at the normal 6-month date; balance due in full on saleUnrelieved land: interest on the whole outstanding tax with each instalment. Relieved property (deaths from 6 Apr 2026) and shares/businesses: interest-free unless an instalment is paid lateIHT400 (instalment election)Statute ↗4 Sept 2026
Get an Inheritance Tax reference numberApply at least 3 weeks before making a payment — online for an estate; form IHT122 by post for a trust or lifetime transferNeeded to make any payment; the 6-month due date and interest do not wait for itOnline service (estates); IHT122 (trusts/lifetime transfers)GOV.UK ↗4 Sept 2026
Excepted estate — no full account neededDeaths from 1 Jan 2022: estate below £325,000 (nil-rate band, frozen to 5 Apr 2031); or ≤ £650,000 with a spouse's unused band transferred; or < £3m passing to a UK spouse/civil partner or qualifying charity; or 'foreign domiciliary' with UK assets ≤ £150,000Full IHT400 still needed if, e.g., gifts over £250,000 in the 7 years, foreign assets over £100,000, trust property £1m+ (or £250,000+ net of spouse/charity), or estate over £3mPA1P / PA1A — value declared on the probate application; no IHT400GOV.UK ↗4 Sept 2026
IHT400 vs IHT205 positionIHT205 is for deaths 6 Apr 2011 – 31 Dec 2021 only; for deaths from 1 Jan 2022 an excepted estate is reported on the probate application and anything else needs IHT400Sending IHT205 for a death on or after 1 Jan 2022 is the wrong formIHT205 (2011) to 31 Dec 2021; PA1P/PA1A or IHT400 afterGOV.UK ↗4 Sept 2026

Sources: IHTA 1984 s.226 — due date for payment of tax · IHTA 1984 s.216 — delivery of accounts (12-month deadline) · IHTA 1984 s.227 — payment by instalments (qualifying property) · IHTA 1984 s.233/234 — interest on unpaid tax and on instalments · IHTA 1984 s.245 — penalties for late delivery of accounts · HMRC manual IHTM36023 — late accounts: current penalties chargeable · gov.uk — Rates and allowances: IHT thresholds and interest rates (live table) · gov.uk — Paying Inheritance Tax in yearly instalments · gov.uk — Get an Inheritance Tax payment reference number · gov.uk — Check the type of estate (excepted estates, deaths from 1 Jan 2022) · gov.uk — Report an excepted estate (IHT205), deaths 6 Apr 2011–31 Dec 2021 · SI 2021/1167 — amending the Excepted Estates Regulations from 1 Jan 2022

Excepted estates — when no full IHT account is needed

For deaths on/after 1 Jan 2022, IHT205 is gone — excepted-estate status now turns on current £-limits set by SI 2004/2543 as amended, checked directly on the probate application (PA1P/PA1A) rather than a separate HMRC form.

For deaths on/after 1 Jan 2022, IHT205 is gone — excepted-estate status now turns on current £-limits set by SI 2004/2543 as amended, checked directly on the probate application (PA1P/PA1A) rather than a separate HMRC form.
Category / conditionCurrent threshold or testWhat you fileWhere it's setSource
IHT205 withdrawn (deaths on/after 1 Jan 2022)Deaths on or after 1 Jan 2022: IHT205 (and companion IHT217) no longer used. IHT205 still applies to deaths 6 Apr 2011–31 Dec 2021.UK-resident/domiciled excepted estates: gross, net and net-qualifying IHT values entered on PA1P Q7.3 / PA1A (online IHT checker optional). Non-resident/foreign-domiciliary estates: IHT207 still filed with the application.SI 2004/2543 reg.6 as substituted by SI 2021/1167 reg.5 (1 Jan 2022) — information 'in such form as the Board may prescribe'; form withdrawal is HMRC practiceStatute ↗4 Sept 2026
Low-value excepted estateGross estate for IHT (deceased's share of joint assets + specified transfers + specified exempt transfers) ≤ IHT threshold: £325,000 nil-rate band (since 6 Apr 2009; fixed to 2030–31 per GOV.UK 26 Nov 2025), or up to £650,000 with a transferable-NRB claim (see TNRB row). No gift with reservation.PA1P / PA1A values only — no IHT400SI 2004/2543 reg.4(2)(e) (substituted SI 2021/1167 reg.3(2)(c), 1 Jan 2022); reg.5A 'IHT threshold'; IHTA 1984 Sch.1Statute ↗4 Sept 2026
Exempt excepted estate (spouse/CP or charity)Gross estate for IHT ≤ £3,000,000 (from 1 Jan 2022; £1,000,000 6 Apr 2004–31 Dec 2021) AND net qualifying value (gross − liabilities − spouse/CP/charity transfers only) ≤ IHT threshold: £325,000, or up to £650,000 with a TNRB claim. Spouse/CP or charity transfer must be > nil (deaths from 1 Mar 2011); no gift with reservation.PA1P / PA1A values only — no IHT400SI 2004/2543 reg.4(3)(e),(f) (substituted SI 2021/1167 reg.3(3)(c),(d), 1 Jan 2022); reg.4(3)(ea) (SI 2011/214, 1 Mar 2011); reg.5AStatute ↗4 Sept 2026
Transferable nil-rate band upliftOne pre-deceased spouse/CP only. Deaths from 1 Jan 2022: any unused % transfers (deaths 6 Apr 2010–31 Dec 2021: 100% unused required). First estate: will/intestacy/joint assets only, foreign assets ≤ £100,000, no settled property, GWR or chargeable lifetime gifts, no BPR/APR. Threshold then up to 2 × £325,000 = £650,000.Claim on PA1P Q7.4 / PA1A (IHT217 belonged to the IHT205 route, deaths to 31 Dec 2021)SI 2004/2543 reg.5A (inserted SI 2011/214 reg.4, effect deaths from 6 Apr 2010; multiplier amended SI 2021/1167 reg.4, 1 Jan 2022)Statute ↗4 Sept 2026
Trust-property limitSingle settlement (interest in possession) only. Low-value: gross settled property ≤ £250,000. Exempt: ≤ £1,000,000 gross, of which ≤ £250,000 not passing to spouse/CP/charity. Both from 1 Jan 2022 (was £150,000, 1 Sep 2006–31 Dec 2021; £100,000 6 Apr 2004–31 Aug 2006). More than one trust → never excepted.Over limit, or >1 trust → full IHT400SI 2004/2543 reg.4(2)(b)(iii),(c)(i) and (3)(c)(i) (SI 2021/1167 reg.3(2)(a),(3)(a), 1 Jan 2022; SI 2006/2141 reg.4(3)(a), 1 Sep 2006)Statute ↗4 Sept 2026
Specified-transfers limitChargeable lifetime transfers in the 7 yrs before death allowed only if 'specified' — cash, quoted shares/securities, personal chattels, or land (not GWR land) — and their total after small-gift, annual, marriage and normal-expenditure exemptions ≤ £250,000 (from 1 Jan 2022; £150,000 1 Sep 2006–31 Dec 2021). Normal-expenditure gifts over £3,000/tax year count as chargeable (deaths from 1 Mar 2011). BPR/APR ignored.Over limit, or any non-specified chargeable transfer → full IHT400SI 2004/2543 reg.4(2)(d),(3)(d),(6),(7),(7A) (SI 2021/1167 reg.3(2)(b),(3)(b); SI 2011/214 reg.3(5); SI 2006/2141 reg.4(3)(d))Statute ↗4 Sept 2026
Foreign-assets limit (UK-resident/domiciled estates)Gross value of property situated outside the UK ≤ £100,000 — low-value and exempt categories alike. Unchanged since 1 Sep 2006 (was £75,000, 6 Apr 2004–31 Aug 2006); not altered by the 2022 changes.Over limit → full IHT400SI 2004/2543 reg.4(2)(c)(ii) and (3)(c)(ii) (amended SI 2006/2141 reg.4(3)(b), 1 Sep 2006)Statute ↗4 Sept 2026
Non-long-term-UK-resident / foreign-domiciliary excepted estateDeaths from 6 Apr 2025: not a long-term UK resident at any time on/after 6 Apr 2025 and not UK-domiciled (incl. deemed) at any time before it. Deaths 6 Apr 2004–5 Apr 2025: never UK-domiciled or deemed domiciled. UK estate = cash/quoted shares or securities only (will, intestacy or survivorship), gross ≤ £150,000 (since 1 Sep 2006; £100,000 6 Apr 2002–31 Aug 2006). No chargeable transfers in 7 yrs (HMRC: no gifts from UK assets over £3,000/yr). No Sch A1 indirect UK residential-property interest (deaths from 1 Jan 2022).IHT207 + PA1P (Q7.8) / PA1A — no IHT400SI 2004/2543 reg.4(5)(b),(bb),(bc),(c) (SI 2006/2141 reg.4(4), 1 Sep 2006; SI 2021/1167 reg.3(5), 1 Jan 2022; Finance Act 2025 (c.8) Sch.13 para.39(3), effect deaths from 6 Apr 2025 per para.45(5))Statute ↗4 Sept 2026
What tips an estate OUT of excepted statusGift with reservation subsisting at death (or released within 7 yrs unless itself a specified transfer); interest in possession in more than one settlement; election to treat property as in the estate instead of a pre-owned-asset charge; any limit above breached. Non-resident category only: any Sch A1 indirect UK residential property, or any chargeable transfer.Full IHT400 to HMRC within 12 months of death and before applying; HMRC posts a letter with a unique probate code (up to 20 working days) — enter it at PA1P Q7.6. IHT421 is Northern Ireland only since Jan 2024.SI 2004/2543 reg.4(2)(b),(5)(bb),(bc); HMRC IHTM06023; GOV.UK IHT421 page (updated 18 Jan 2024); PA1P (01.24) note 7.6Statute ↗4 Sept 2026

legislation.gov.uk holds no consolidated version of the 2004 Regulations — only the original text — so every figure here is cited to the instrument that actually set it, not to a consolidated reference. The money figures are cross-confirmed twice over, against the amending instrument's own operative text and against HMRC's internal manual. Sub-paragraph lettering is reconstructed from the original numbering plus each amendment; check it against the linked instrument before relying on it in correspondence. An adversarial review of an earlier draft of this table found a cited provision that does not exist, which is why this note is here.

Sources: SI 2021/1167 — Inheritance Tax (Delivery of Accounts)(Excepted Estates)(Amendment) Regulations 2021, as made · SI 2004/2543 reg.4 — Inheritance Tax (Delivery of Accounts)(Excepted Estates) Regulations 2004 (principal regulation, original text — check point-in-time version before publishing exact sub-paragraph letters) · HMRC IHTM06012 — Rules about excepted estates: low value estates · HMRC IHTM06013 — Rules about excepted estates: exempt excepted estates · HMRC IHTM06018 — Rules about excepted estates: specified transfers · HMRC IHTM06021 — Rules about excepted estates: foreign domiciliaries or non long-term UK residents · Finance Act 2025, Schedule 13 (residence-based IHT reform, in force 6 April 2025) · GOV.UK — Inheritance Tax nil-rate band and residence nil-rate bands from 6 April 2028 (confirms £325,000 NRB, frozen since 2009-10) · PA1P — Probate application (with a will), form checked directly for the excepted-estate/foreign-assets question

Why probate applications get stopped

Official statistics show grants that are never stopped issue in about 2 weeks (70% of all grants issued, digital, not stopped) against 14 weeks once a case is stopped (Family Court Statistics Quarterly, Jan–Mar 2026, published 25 Jun 2026). HMCTS's own Deputy Service Manager puts it plainly: a stopped case takes "roughly double the amount of time" to clear as one that's right first time (HMCTS, Feb 2024). The rows below are HMCTS's own published stop reasons, what it asks for once a case is stopped, and how to avoid the stop in the first place.

Official statistics show grants that are never stopped issue in about 2 weeks (70% of all grants issued, digital, not stopped) against 14 weeks once a case is stopped (Family Court Statistics Quarterly, Jan–Mar 2026, published 25 Jun 2026). HMCTS's own Deputy Service Manager puts it plainly: a stopped case takes "roughly double the amount of time" to clear as one that's right first time (HMCTS, Feb 2024). The rows below are HMCTS's own published stop reasons, what it asks for once a case is stopped, and how to avoid the stop in the first place.
Reason the application is stoppedWhat HMCTS asks forHow to avoid itSource
Applied before HMRC issued its IHT400 code — HMCTS's top stop reason before the 2024 code fix (HMCTS, Feb 2024)HMRC's letter with the unique probate code and probate values (PA1P Q7.6); IHT421 or IHT207 figures only if you hold one (Q7.7/7.8)Wait 20 working days after submitting the IHT400 before applying (PA1P Note 7.6/7.7); IHT400 stops fell to 218 in the quarter reported Sep 2024 vs 6,564 'last year' (HMCTS to its user group, via ICAEW)GOV.UK ↗4 Sept 2026
A will-named executor isn't applying and no reason is given (Inside HMCTS, Feb 2022)One of 6 reasons A–F: predeceased / died after / power reserved / renunciation / power of attorney / lacks capacity (PA1P Q3.6)Name every executor with a reason letter and evidence upfront — ~15,000 stops in 2024 for missing/incorrect executor information (HMCTS to its user group, Mar 2025, via ICAEW)GOV.UK ↗4 Sept 2026
Deceased held assets in a name that is not on the death certificateForename(s) and surname 'as they appear on the Death Certificate' (PA1P Q2.1/2.2); every other name assets are held in (Q2.6/2.7)Match Section 2 to the death certificate exactly; list each alias/maiden name an asset is held in — those names print on the grant (PA1P Note 2.7)GOV.UK ↗4 Sept 2026
Original will shows 'staple holes, rips or stains' — 'unexplained changes to their condition' (Inside HMCTS, Feb 2022)An explanation ruling out a missing page or removed attachment, e.g. a bank covering letter (HMCTS, Feb 2024)'Do not attach anything to or remove anything from the original will/codicils' (PA1P checklist); explain any existing marks upfrontGOV.UK ↗4 Sept 2026
Will fails Wills Act 1837 formalities — unsigned, undated, or only one witnessEvidence curing the defect; otherwise the will is invalid and intestacy applies (HMCTS, Feb 2024)HMCTS checks: dated, signed by the testator, two witnesses, attestation clause; 'typically' homemade wills fail (HMCTS Deputy Service Manager, Feb 2024)GOV.UK ↗4 Sept 2026
Original will/codicils missing, or a photocopied death certificate — 'supporting documents are missing' (Inside HMCTS, Feb 2022)'The last original will and any codicils' + 'an official copy (not a photocopy) of the death certificate' (PA1P checklist)Send every checklist item together — 'Photocopies of these documents will not be accepted' (GOV.UK, updated 29 Dec 2025)GOV.UK ↗4 Sept 2026
Foreign domicile, or a lost will (form PA13, affidavit settled by the Registrar)Extra domicile/asset evidence, or a settled affidavit on the lost will's circumstancesAsk the Registrar for a pre-lodgement enquiry first (HMCTS, Mar 2025); these go to specialist teams; paper applications average ~16 weeks and registrar-involved cases may still be delayed (HMCTS, Jun 2026)GOV.UK ↗4 Sept 2026

HMCTS does not publish a single ranked list of stop reasons. These are drawn from the PA1P form's own notes and checklist, HMCTS's Inside HMCTS posts and the updates it issues to professional bodies — each row links to its own source. Timings are from the accredited Family Court Statistics Quarterly for January to March 2026, published 25 June 2026.

Sources: GOV.UK — Family Court Statistics Quarterly: January to March 2026 (probate grant timeliness, published 25 Jun 2026) · GOV.UK — Form PA1P: Probate application with a will (citizen version, 01.24) · Inside HMCTS (GOV.UK blog) — Working together to avoid delays to probate applications, 28 Feb 2022 · Inside HMCTS (GOV.UK blog) — Applying for probate: top tips, tools and what to expect (podcast transcript) · Institute of Legacy Management — The Probate service: reducing stopped applications and improving (Stephen Burgess, HMCTS Deputy Service Manager), 2 Feb 2024 · ICAEW — HMCTS Probate Service User Group update: September 2024 · ICAEW — Latest HMCTS updates for probate practitioners, 4 Apr 2025 · ICAEW — HMCTS update for probate firms: June 2026

Statutory references

The government fees derive from the instruments below, each one linked so you can check it yourself.

The professional-fee bands are Valoren’s own planning model, calibrated to the published price pages of SRA-regulated firms read in July 2026 — they are not a benchmark published by any body. The provisions relied upon, current at the audit date below, are:

Figure history
13 Jul 2026 — Probate application fee: £300£526 · GOV.UK — Probate fees ↗
HMCTS raised the flat probate application fee for estates over £5,000 (confirmed by HMCTS 19 June 2026, took effect 13 July 2026).

Cite this figure: Valoren, “Probate Cost Calculator,” https://valoren.uk/tools/probate-cost-calculator (verified 3 Sept 2026).

Last verified: 3 Sept 2026Next scheduled review: 30 Nov 2026Sourced and verified by Standard Index Group · ORCID 0009-0000-9170-8589
Why the records matter

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Library

Free guides behind this calculator

These free institutional briefs cover the probate process, grant applications, executor obligations, and estate administration — what the cost breakdown here is built on.

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Estate Bank Account Brief

The Executor's First Hour includes instructions for opening the estate account — with the executor's authority reference and the required documentation.

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Estate Debts Priority Guide

The Executor's First Hour includes the creditor priority checklist — so the estate is distributed in the correct statutory order and the executor is protected.

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Document Finder Checklist

The Executor's First Hour product contains these checklists personalised to the estate — pre-filled with your specific asset references.

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The Executor's Companion

The Executor's First Hour personalises this companion around your estate — your contacts, your accounts, your location codes, printed and ready.

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Grant of Probate Brief

The executor pack includes the probate application evidence list — so the PA1P goes in with the right supporting documents from the first submission.

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