Probate Pricing
probate and administration of estates.
Discover more about our Wills & Probate service today and find out how our expert team can help you.
Details of our fees for estate administration, including probate, are available below.
The prices set out will, in most cases, be the amount you pay. However, there may be occasions where your circumstances are more complicated, and we may have to agree a different price with you.
We believe in being open about prices and giving you price certainty with fixed fee options. We have itemised the options available for you and you can decide which option is right for you.
fixed fee options for obtaining the Grant of Representation.
We can help you by obtaining the Grant of Probate for the executors (if there is a will) or the administrators (where there is no will). In this section we set out our fixed fee prices. These prices apply on the basis the executors/administrators will provide us with full details of the assets and debts of the estate and their values as at the date of death.
our price:
| £ excluding VAT at 20% | £ including VAT at 20% | |
|---|---|---|
| Simple estates | From £2,000 | From £2,400 |
| Complex estates | From £4,000 | From £4,800 |
This includes:
- a dedicated and experienced probate lawyer to work on your matter
- an initial meeting (which typically lasts no longer than one hour)
- to identify the legally appointed executors or administrators and beneficiaries
- accurately identify the type of application you will require
- advising on the probate/letters of administration process
- advising the executors or administrators on their duties and responsibilities
- advising on the information required to obtain the Grant to enable you to prepare a list of the assets and liabilities and their values.
- reviewing and checking that the information provided to us is accurate and in accordance HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) rules.
- obtaining an Inheritance Tax (IHT) reference and completing the relevant IHT forms.
- calculating the IHT due and preparing IHT payment forms, if applicable.
- ensuring that the correct IHT exemptions and reliefs are claimed.
- drafting a legal statement for you to sign.
- making the application to the Probate Court on your behalf.
- obtaining the Grant and sending it to you.
- free safe storage of the original Grant.
other costs:
Disbursements and expenses are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as court fees and administration costs. These include:
Probate Court Fee – £300 with additional copies charged per copy (no VAT).
Copies of the deeds to the deceased’s property – Approximately £7 per property, including VAT.
Protection from unexpected claims from unknown creditors – Approximately £240, including VAT.
ID check – £24 per person, including VAT.
Please note that inheritance tax may be payable depending on the estate value. This is an additional cost – you can learn more about calculating and paying inheritance tax at gov.uk/inheritance-tax.
our timescales:
Simple estate
From receipt of the list of the assets and debts and their values from you, it will take us approximately 2 weeks to prepare the grant application for you to sign.
Where we can make the application online, the Probate Court takes, on average, 16 weeks to issue the Grant.
Where a paper application is necessary, the Probate Court takes, on average, 6 months to issue the Grant.
This means you should allow approximately 18 weeks (4.5 months) to receive the Grant for a simple estate where the application is made online and at least 6 months where the application is made on paper. Please be aware that it can occasionally take longer.
Complex estate
From receipt of the list of the assets and liabilities and their values from you, it will take us approximately 3-4 weeks to prepare the IHT forms and grant application for you to sign.
HMRC takes, on average, 4 weeks to provide us with a code so that we can make the grant application.
Where we can make the application online, the Probate Court takes, on average, 16 weeks to issue the Grant. (above re the timings depending on paper or online application)
Where a paper application is necessary, the Probate Court takes, on average, 6 months to issue the Grant.
This means you should allow approximately 24 weeks (6 months) to receive the Grant of Probate for a complex estate where the application is made online and at least 8 months where the application is made on paper. Please be aware that it can occasionally take longer.
Complete service – full estate administration
Bereavement can be emotionally traumatic, and this may make dealing with estate administration feel daunting. Even if you are not directly affected by the death, you may still want a helping hand through the administration process. We can offer this help through our complete service, dealing with every aspect of the estate from beginning to end.
Every estate is different. For this reason, we will give you a price based on your situation. We do this by using the information available at the outset to create an estimate. We recognise it can be challenging to provide all information at the beginning of the process, and it’s sometimes difficult to foresee the issues that may arise. For this reason, we will keep you updated with cost information periodically should such problems arise.
our prices:
To give you the best value and a solicitor with the correct level of skill, we base our costs on two factors: the time spent dealing with the matter and the estate value.
Time element
We calculate the time element by reviewing the time your solicitor will spend on the matter. Our time is charged based on our hourly rates in the table below. You can expect our time-based fees to range from £3,000 to £20,000. Large and/or complex estates may incur higher time-based fees.
| £ excluding VAT at 20% | £ including VAT at 20% | |
|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | £160 | £192 |
| Trainee solicitor (year 1 / year 2) | £190 / £200 | £228 – £240 |
| Solicitor/Chartered Legal Executive with less than four years of post-qualification experience | £240 – £270 | £288 – £324 |
| Solicitor/Chartered Legal Executive with more than four years of post-qualification experience | £270 – £280 | £324 – £336 |
| Senior Solicitor/Senior Chartered Legal Executive | £320 – £350 | £384 – £420 |
| Partner | £330 – £400 | £396 – £480 |
Value element
We calculate the value element as follows:
- Where we are not Executors – 1% of the gross estate, plus VAT at 20%.
- If partners or members of Howell-Jones are Executors – 1.5% of the gross estate, plus VAT at 20%.
Please note that when calculating gross estate, we:
- reflect only half of the value of the deceased’s residence.
- exclude some assets, for example, a share in a property that passes by survivorship.
Including this value element allows us to ensure you have the right team working on your matter, giving you the reassurance of the correct combination of skills and experience.
the probate stages.
The stages and processes which need to be completed in order to administer the estate are set out as follows:
Stage 1
- Meeting with a dedicated and experienced probate lawyer to work on your matter:
- to identify the legally appointed executors or administrators and beneficiaries
- accurately identify the type of Probate application you will require
- advising on the probate process
- advising the executors or administrators on their duties and responsibilities
- advising on the information required to obtain the Grant
- Initial correspondence to investigate and obtain various valuations for all assets and liabilities
- Prepare Schedule of Assets and Liabilities
Stage 2
- Prepare relevant Inheritance Tax (IHT) forms and all relevant schedules
- Obtain an IHT reference from HMRC where necessary
- Calculate the IHT due on the estate and ensure that the correct Inheritance Tax (IHT) exemptions and reliefs are claimed
- Prepare the IHT payment forms where necessary and liaise with banks to arrange payment of the IHT due on submission of the IHT Tax Return to HMRC
Stage 3
- Draft legal statement for you to sign
- Make the application to the Probate Court on your behalf
- Obtain the Grant
Stage 4
- Collect in all assets
- Pay all known liabilities
- Advertise for creditors
- Liaise with property solicitors regarding the sale of any property*
- Finalise IHT
- Prepare and finalise Income Tax to date of death
- Prepare and finalise Tax Returns for the period of administration
- Prepare and finalise Capital Gains Tax
- Obtain HMRC clearance for all taxes
- Carry out bankruptcy and ID checks on all beneficiaries
- Pay legacies
- Deal with any transfer assets to beneficiaries named in the Will
- Make interim distributions
- Obtain receipts
*conveyancing costs are not included
Stage 5
- Finalise Estate Accounts
- Send signed Estate Accounts to residuary beneficiaries
- Prepare R185 tax certificates
- Distribute the estate
- Obtain receipts
other costs:
Disbursements and expenses are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as court fees and administration costs. These include:
Probate Court Fee – £300 with additional copies charged per copy (no VAT).
Copies of the deeds to the deceased’s property – Approximately £7 per property, including VAT.
Protection from unexpected claims from unknown creditors – Approximately £240, including VAT.
ID check – £24 per person, including VAT.
Please note that inheritance tax may be payable depending on the estate value. This is an additional cost – you can learn more about calculating and paying inheritance tax at gov.uk/inheritance-tax.
our timescales:
On average, a taxable estate takes about a year to complete but there are some which complete in a much shorter timescale and some which may take longer.
