Probate Fees – May 2017

When someone dies, it is often necessary to get a Grant of Probate to allow the executors named in the will to collect in the deceased person’s assets, sell property and distribute the estate to the beneficiaries.
Currently the fee charged to apply to the Probate Registry for a Grant is £215 unless a solicitor is acting in which case the fee is £155.
From May 2017, despite many objections having been made to the government, most estates will face larger bills.
Only those estates under £50,000 will benefit. In this case the fee is reduced to zero, but for those over that amount there is a new sliding scale of fees as set out below:
• Estates valued at £50,000-£300,000 – £300 probate fee
• Estates valued at £300,000-£500,000 – £1,000 probate fee
• Estates valued at £500,000-£1m – £4,000 probate fee
• Estates valued at £1m-£1.6m – £8,000 probate fee
• Estates valued at £1.6m-£2m – £12,000 probate fee
• Estates valued at more than £2m – £20,000 probate fee
Rising property prices mean that many estates, especially in London and the South East, will now be faced with extra costs.
If you need help administering the estate of someone who has died, please do not hesitate to contact us and we would be happy to recommend a suitability qualified legal expert to assist you.