PROBATE FEES

APPLYING FOR A GRANT OF PROBATE, COLLECTING AND DISTRIBUTING THE ASSETS

We anticipate this will take between 10 and 20 hours of work at £180 per hour. We estimate total costs to be £1,500-£3500 plus VAT.

The exact cost will depend upon the individual circumstances of the matter. For example, if there is one beneficiary and no property, costs will be at the lower end of the range. If there are multiple beneficiaries, a property and multiple bank accounts, costs will be at the higher end. Our hourly rate is £180 per hour plus VAT.

  • We will handle the full process for you. The above costs assume:

  • There is no more than one property and no foreign property.

  • There is no more than 3 bank or building society accounts.

  • There are no other intangible assets.

  • There are no more than 1-3 beneficiaries, and all are U.K. residents.

  • There are no disputes between beneficiaries as to the division of assets. If disputes arise this is likely to increase costs.

  • There had been no gifting of assets by the deceased prior to death.

  • The deceased made no changes to their pensions 2 years prior to death.

  • There is no inheritance tax payable and the executors do not need to submit a full account to HMRC.

  • There are no claims made against the estate.

Disbursements which are payable include:

  • Probate application fee of £273 plus £1.50 for each extra copy

  • Bankruptcy-only Land Charges Department searches (£2.00 per search)

  • £250-£300 approximately plus VAT for statutory advertisements to protect against unexpected claims from unknown creditors.

  • Surveyors and accountants may be required.

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

Potential additional costs:

  • If there is no Will or the estate consists of any share holdings (stocks and bonds) there are likely to be additional costs that could range significantly depending on the estate and how it is to be dealt with. We can give you a more accurate quote once we have more information.

  • If any additional copies of the grant are required.

  • Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate is not included.

How long will this take?

On average, estates that fall within this range are dealt with within 6-12 months.

Typically, once the value of the estate at death has been ascertained, obtaining the grant of probate takes 6-10 weeks. Collecting the assets and distributing the estate then follows, which can take up to 1 year from death.

As part of our service we will:

  • Provide you with a dedicated and experienced probate solicitor to work on your matter

  • Identify the legally appointed executors or administrators and beneficiaries

  • Accurately identify the type of Probate application you will require

  • Obtain the relevant documents required to make the application

  • Complete the Probate Application and the relevant HMRC forms

  • Draft a legal oath for you to swear

  • Make the application to the Probate Court on your behalf

  • Obtain the Probate and send copies to you

  • Collect and distribute estate assets

  • In estates where either Inheritance tax is payable, or a full inheritance tax account needs to be submitted to HMRC we estimate our price will exceed £3,000. Our hourly charge will be £180 per hour plus VAT. Each quote will depend on the particular circumstances of the estate and costs may exceed £10,000 + VAT. A quote will be provided at an early stage of the process.

Alternatively, if you would prefer to do some of the work yourself, we will be happy to discuss this with you and our prices start from £600 plus VAT.

If you wish us to provide an estimate of our fees and disbursements for applying for a Grant of Probate, please contact us by telephone or if you prefer email us at info@wilsonbramwell.co.uk and we will contact you.

Please note that we are always happy to answer any queries you may have regarding our fees for applying for a Grant of Probate or the process involved, and you are welcome to call us and ask to speak to one of our solicitors.