Probate costs

Below you will find an example of pricing information for a probate related matter in relation to an uncontested estate, where are all of the assets are based in the UK.

We offer a free initial telephone consultation where we can discuss your situation and needs. We can then arrange a meeting to discuss matters in more detail and provide guidance on our fees.

Our Charges

If a Grant of Probate or a Grant of Letters of Administration is needed then we are able to assist depending upon your requirements and circumstances.

We can extract the Grant only, or complete the whole or part of the Estate administration.

Our charges for advising you in relation to the full administration of the Estate will depend on a number of factors.

We have indicated our estimate of total costs for assisting with the full administration of a “simple estate” which has the following features:

There is no more than one property in the sole name of the deceased
There is a valid Will appointing executors
The Executors in the Will are able to act
There is no requirement for Deeds of Renunciation
There is no Inheritance tax payable and there is no requirement to submit a full account (IHT400) to HMRC
There are no more than three bank or building society accounts
There are no debts (other than utility bills)
There are no more than 2 pecuniary legacies in the Will, no more than 3 beneficiaries and their whereabouts of all are known
The beneficiaries all have UK bank accounts and are individuals or Charities registered in the UK
There are no other assets
There are no complications, disputes and the Will is not contested

Our fees for a simple estate will range between £1,500 – £6,000 plus VAT* and disbursements (see below) for small and simple estates. If you require a “Grant only” application the fees will be at the lower end of the range.

Fees for full administration are based upon a percentage charge of the value of the estate, capped at 2% and and hourly rate for the time spent on the matter by members of our Wills & Probate team.

Hourly rates range for our team vary from £150 – £300 plus VAT depending upon the seniority of the team member completing the work.

There is a one-off case management fee of £114.52 plus VAT for the matter.

*VAT is charged at 20%

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties. We handle these payments on your behalf to ensure a smoother process. Typical examples are as follows:

Item	Amount
Probate Registry Fee (for issuing the Grant)	£273 (No VAT)
Office copies for the grant of probate (per copy)	£1.50
Advert in the local newspaper	Approx. £150.00 plus VAT
Advert in the London Gazette	Approx. £92.00 plus VAT
Bankruptcy searches (per beneficiary)	£3.00 plus VAT
Land Registry search fee (if property involved)	£6.00 plus VAT

Some of these expenses will be payable prior to submitting the application for the Grant. There may also be other expenses such as valuation fees and, if applicable, we will advise you accordingly.

The following factors are likely to lead to additional cost:-

If the Will appoints the firm (or successor practice) to act as Executors
Visiting the property and completing a document search
Arranging the buildings insurance and clearance of the property
Registering the death and arranging the funeral
Interim distributions to residuary beneficiaries
Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the Estate
Advice in relation to Capital Gains Tax and any steps to mitigate gains
Completion of lifetime or Estate Income Tax Returns
Liaising with Pension Trustees in connection with Death in Service Benefits or ongoing Pension payments
Liaising with the Department for Work and Pensions Recovery from Estates Debt Management Department
Dealing with any Trusts that are deemed to form part of the Deceased’s Estate for Inheritance Tax purposes

Property sales are subject to a separate fee quote. Please see our conveyancing pricing information for an illustration.

How Long Will It Take?

The timeframe for assisting you with the administration of the Estate outlined in this illustration will depend on a number of factors. We will be in close contact with HM Revenue & Customs, HM Courts & Tribunals Service and all of the financial institutions relevant to the Estate to ensure that the administration of the Estate progresses as quickly as possible. However, obtaining the Grant and administering an Estate typically takes at least 6 months, depending upon the assets involved.If the Estate is complex or there is property to be sold, it can take longer than that and we will be able to provide guidance based on the particular circumstances of an Estate.