Probate Application Fees

Probate Application Fees

In October 2019, the Lord Chancellor confirmed that the government’s proposals to increase the Probate application fees were to officially be scrapped.

The proposed increase, which was intended to be introduced in April 2019, could have seen a maximum charge of £6,000, dependent on the size of the estate.

However, the current fixed fee for applying for a Grant of Probate remains the same and is £215 or £155 if you have instructed a Solicitor.

There was a massive amount of opposition and pressure from the public and MPs, supported by the Law Society which means that the proposals were never brought to vote in the House of Commons.

The main argument was that the fee hike was a tax on grief, whereby the bereaved individuals dealing with the estate were left to bear the brunt of funding this significant application fee before any access to the estate funds itself.

Our Private Client Team was a part of that successful campaign, ensuring that present and future clients would not have to be subject to these increased fees, as they fully understand and can empathise with how much of a difficult time it can be, without the threat of increased fees.

If you need any help or advice with regards to a loved one’s estate, then please do not hesitate to contact our Private Client Team.