On 26 January 2022, the fee charged by the Probate Registry for issuing a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration increased to £273. Estates valued at less than £5,000 remain exempt from paying a fee on application.
Previously, non-professional (or personal) applicants were charged more than probate professionals to make an application. Now, all applicants will pay the same fee.
Why are the fees changing?
The fee for professional and personal applications is being aligned as the government maintains that there is no significant difference in cost for HM Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) to process personal applications versus professional applications.
The previous fee structure was set back in April 2014, so in July 2021 the government launched a consultation into new fee proposals. The consultation found that the current process was operating at a loss, costing HMCTS more to process a probate application than the fee it received.
The government claim that the new fee increase will raise an additional £23-25 million each year, which they will use to offset the deficit of £85 million that exists in the probate and family court system.
What are the possible issues?
The Probate Service has seen huge change in the last 18 months with the introduction of an online application process. The new online process has unfortunately resulted in increased delays, both to applications and response times.
We believe that the new fee structure will lead to extra strain on the Probate Service, as a rise in applications by those completing probate without legal advice will lead to more errors in the application process, resulting in even lengthier delays. We have written a Blog Post on this very subject based on our experiences with clients attempting complicated probate applications themselves.
Get help and advice with your Probate application
We believe that the best way to deal with probate is through a trusted professional who can ensure that the application is perfect first time and the process is managed as speedily and accurately as possible.
If you need help with a probate or simply have a question about the process then we are here to help. We offer a free 30-minute initial consultation with one of our probate expert solicitors for all new clients. Contact us today to book your appointment with our friendly, helpful team.
Tel: 01245 893400
Email: info@backhouse-solicitors.co.uk
Visit: 17 Duke Street, Chelmsford, CM1 1JU
Or send us a message through the Contact Us page on this website.
