Applying for probate – proposed increase in court fees

Published on 17th December 2018

At present the HM Courts & Tribunals services charge a fixed fee for processing probate applications which is either £155 or £215 depending on who submits the application.

The government are proposing to increase this fee significantly for applications from April 2019. The proposed fees will be based on the size of the estate and are as follows:

Estate Value Proposed Fee
Up to £50,000 £0
>50,000       <£300,000 £250
>300,000    <£500,000 £750
>£500,000 <£1m £2,500
>£1m            <1.6m £4,000
>1.6m           <2m £5,000
>2m £6,000

Some assets are excluded from the estate value for this purpose (for example assets held as joint tenants which pass by survivorship and those held in trust). The level of the proposed new fees should therefore be considered when deciding how both to hold assets and structure Wills.

Act now

Assuming the changes go ahead it currently appears a significant saving can be achieved provided the probate application is submitted before the changes happen.

Simpkins Edwards are licenced to undertake non-contentious probate work, so please contact us if you require any assistance in applying for probate or administering an estate.

If you have any queries about the process, please do not hesitate to contact us on 01392 211 233.