Probate and Estate Administration Costs (Uncontested with all assets in the UK)

Our costs and timescales are dependent upon the complexity of the matter and size of the estate, but in most cases, we are able to provide you with a fixed fee for the work to be carried out, before we proceed.

If we are unable to offer with a fixed fee, we will provide you with our hourly rates together with an estimate of the time it will take to complete the matter.

All our fixed fee costs are plus VAT (currently 20%) and disbursements.

Disbursement are costs incurred during the process of the matter, which we pay on your behalf to third parties i.e. Court fees and Land Registry Fees.

The below estimates are for guidance purposes only as each estate varies.

Solely Obtaining the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration

This is a limited service and is execution only and relies on you providing valuations and all relevant information to us, to enable us to solely obtain the Grant of Probate.

In these circumstances we will usually charge a fixed fee as set out as follows for undertaking the work detailed :

1. Our fees for a basic application for a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration are £950 plus VAT of £190, making a total of £1,140 and disbursements.

This is a basic application where we will complete and submit the probate application to the Probate Registry but where no claim is required for Residence Nil Rate Band and the HMRC long form application IHT400 is not required.

2. Our fees for an application where there is no inheritance tax payable but the estate requires a residence nil rate band application and or a long form HMRC application (IHT 400) are £1950 plus VAT of £390, total £2,340 and disbursements.

We will complete and submit the probate application to the Probate Registry and prepare and submit the IHT400 and supporting schedules to HMRC. Please note, this does not include work required if agricultural relief or business property relief is to be claimed which will incur additional fees.

3. Our fees for an application where there is inheritance tax payable are £3000 plus VAT of £600, total £3,600 and disbursements.

We will complete and submit the probate application to the Probate Registry and prepare and submit the IHT400 and supporting schedules to HMRC, including those to claim transferable nil rate band and residence nil rate band where applicable. We will also complete form IHT423 if applicable to arrange payment of inheritance tax. Please note, this does not include work required if agricultural relief or business property relief is to be claimed which will incur additional fees.

Once the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration are obtained this is forwarded to the Executors to enable them to administer the estate and our involvement ceases.

Full Estate Administration

In most cases we are able to provide a fixed fee, subject to the circumstances of each case as follows:

Estates with a gross value under £250,000 – our fees are normally £3,000 plus VAT of £600, making a total of £3,600 plus disbursements.

Estates with a gross value up to £325,000 – our fees are normally £4,000 plus VAT of £800 making a total of £4,800 plus disbursements.

Estates with a gross value between £325,001 – £1,500,000 our fees are normally 1.5% of the gross value of the estate plus VAT and disbursements. For instance if the gross value of the estate was £750,000, our fees would be £750,000 x 1.5% = £11,250 plus VAT of £2250, total £13,500 plus disbursements.

Estates with a gross value between £1,500,001 to £3,000,000 our fees are normally 1.35% of the gross value of the estate plus VAT and disbursements. For instance if the gross value of the estate was £1,800,000 our fees would be £24,300 plus VAT of £4860, making a total of £29,160 plus disbursements.

Disbursements

These include but are not limited to:

Probate fee	£273 plus additional copies of the Grant £1.50 each
Bankruptcy searches	£2 for each beneficiary if based in the UK
Statutory advertisements	Approximately £200 plus VAT of £40.00 (total approximately £240)
Land Registry Fees	From £3 but dependent on the Estate
Electronic Identity Search Fees	£18 plus VAT of £3.60 per person (if based in UK), total £21.60
Financial Assets Search	Approximately £185 plus VAT of £37 (approximately total £222)
Property Valuations & Share Valuations	Dependant on the fees charged by the Valuer

The average hourly charging rate for team members is: £250 plus VAT of £50 per hour.

Full details of individual’s charge out rates are included in the client care pack that is sent to you following instruction.

We can either act to obtain the grant of probate and letters of administration or we can act in the administration of the entire estate.

Timescales

Obtaining the Grant of Probate will usually take between 12-20 weeks once all information has been received to enable the application to be prepared and you have signed and returned the application to us.

Estate administration can take between 3-18 months depending on the complexity of the estate.

Stages of Probate – full estate administration service (not included in Grant Only Service)

Provide you with a dedicated and experience probate solicitor to work on your matter.
Identify the legally appointed executors or administrators and beneficiaries.
Advise the executors or administrators of the work that is required to administer the estate.
Liaise with you and obtain details and valuations of all of the assets and liabilities of the estate as required for the Probate Registry application and any HMRC inheritance tax Applications.
Obtain the relevant documents required to make the application and apply for an IHT reference number if required.
Draft and submit the Probate Application and any relevant HMRC forms after they are approved by you.
Obtain the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration as the case may be and provide you with a copy.
Collect in all of the assets / transfer assets – as applicable.
Discharge all estate liabilities from funds available.
Advise separately on any trust arising under the Will or intestacy.
Prepare estate accounts showing full details of all assets, liabilities, financial transactions and distribution of the estate.
Distribute the estate in accordance with the terms of the Will or the intestacy rules.

Matters not included in our fees:

Registering the death.
Arranging the funeral.
Administering assets outside of England and Wales.
Administration of an estate which is or become insolvent.
Work involved in any dispute in connection with the estate. For instance, disputes between executors / beneficiaries, claims made against the estate by creditors or by an individual who claims that the deceased did not make adequate financial provision for them, or that the Will is invalid.
Property work such as conveyancing involved with the sale of property or the transfer of property to beneficiaries or updating Land Registry records.
Work arising from gifts made by the deceased during his or her lifetime.
Any work required re the rectification or variation of a Will or variation of intestacy laws.
Preparation and submission of income tax or capital gains tax returns.
Registering a trust on the HMR Trust Registration Service.
Work involved in tracing missing beneficiaries or executors.

All work will be carried out by our probate and estate administration team. For further information about the team please see Our Team.