Probate Cost Calculator UK 2025 — Estate Administration Fees, Timescales & DIY vs Solicitor
Probate is the legal process of administering a deceased person's estate. In England and Wales, a grant of probate (or letters of administration if there is no will) gives the executor or administrator legal authority to deal with assets. This calculator estimates the costs involved and helps you decide whether to use a solicitor or apply for probate yourself.
Probate application fee 2025: £300 (estates over £5,000). Sealed copies: £1.50 each. Solicitor fees are typically 1–4% of estate value. IHT must be paid before probate can be granted — the estate may need to borrow from a bank to pay IHT on the property element before sale. Always get 3 solicitor quotes if using a solicitor.
Do You Need Probate?
Not all estates require a grant of probate. Assets that pass automatically without probate include: jointly owned property held as joint tenants (passes by survivorship); accounts with named beneficiaries (e.g. some pensions, life insurance policies written in trust); and jointly held bank accounts. Probate is generally required for: solely-owned property; bank accounts over a certain threshold (typically £5,000–£50,000 depending on the bank); stocks and shares; and ISAs in the deceased's sole name.
Probate Application Fee 2025
| Estate value | Application fee |
|---|---|
| Under £5,000 | £0 (free) |
| £5,000 and above | £300 |
| Each sealed copy of the grant | £1.50 per copy |
Note: The government proposed increasing the probate fee to a value-based sliding scale (up to £20,000 for large estates). This was abandoned in 2019 but could return — check the current fee at gov.uk/court-fees before applying.
Inheritance Tax and Probate
If the estate is liable for Inheritance Tax (IHT), this creates a chicken-and-egg problem: IHT must usually be paid before probate is granted, but assets (especially property) cannot be sold until probate is granted. The solution for property-heavy estates is usually a bank loan or an advance from the estate's bank account (if available). HMRC allows IHT on property to be paid in 10 annual instalments — this can help cash flow, though interest accrues on the unpaid balance.
The IHT deadline is 6 months from the end of the month of death — interest accrues after this date even if the estate is not yet administered. File IHT accounts early and pay what you can to avoid interest.
DIY Probate — When Is It Suitable?
DIY probate (applying directly to the Probate Registry without a solicitor) is suitable when: there is a clear, valid will; the estate is straightforward (house, bank accounts, ISAs); there is no IHT liability or it is straightforward; there are no disputes between beneficiaries; there are no overseas assets; and there is no ongoing business. The process involves completing PA1P (with will) or PA1A (without will) and an IHT account (IHT205 for excepted estates, IHT400 for estates with tax liability). Apply at gov.uk/apply-for-probate.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Probate Registry has experienced significant backlogs. In 2025, processing times for straightforward applications are typically 8–16 weeks from submission. Complex applications take longer. The full estate administration (collecting all assets, paying all debts, distributing to beneficiaries) typically takes 9–18 months. Contact the Probate Registry to track your application status.
You can market the property and accept an offer before probate, but exchange of contracts and completion cannot take place until the grant is received. Buyers' solicitors will require sight of the grant before exchange. It is common to put property on the market while the probate application is being processed to avoid delays — but make clear to estate agents and buyers that completion is subject to grant of probate.
Executors have significant personal liability. If they distribute the estate before paying all debts and taxes, they can be personally liable to creditors. Key steps to protect yourself: advertise for creditors (Trustee Act 1925 notice in the London Gazette and local newspaper); obtain clearance from HMRC; check for any unknown debts; and do not distribute the residue until you are confident all claims are settled. A solicitor's help is advisable where any uncertainty exists.