Probate - pricing guideline

Our costs for obtaining a Grant of Representation and administering a simple estate range from £3,600.00 to £5,600.00 plus VAT* and disbursements.

An example of a simple estate is where:

  • The deceased left a valid will with three beneficiaries
  • Owned one property and up to 3 bank accounts but had no other intangible assets
  • The deceased did not own any foreign assets or have an interest in a trust
  • The deceased did not make any lifetime gifts which require reporting to HM Revenue & Customs
  • Inheritance Tax (IHT) is not payable and the executors do not need to submit a full account to HM Revenue & Customs
  • No claims are made against the estate
  • We are not asked to register the death, arrange the deceased's funeral or clear the deceased's property.

The exact cost will depend on the individual circumstances for the matter. We therefore provide a cost estimate at the outset of the estate administration, taking into account the size and nature of the deceased's estate.

If the estate administration proves to be more complex or time consuming than first envisaged due to factors of which we were unaware, or our instructions change, or if additional work and advice are required, we will revise our costs estimate accordingly. In such circumstances we will provide a revised costs estimate and details of any additional disbursements before incurring these extra costs.

We charge on a time basis and the hourly rates of the team members who may be involved in the estate administration and the links to their profiles are set out at the bottom of this page.

Complex estates

Any estate which does not fall within the definition of the simple estate as set out above, is regarded as a complex estate. Complex estates includes where IHT is payable but also where IHT reliefs need to be claimed to mitigate any IHT.

Fees for complex estates will be charged on a time basis and the hourly rates of the team members who may be involved in the estate administration and the links to their profiles are set out at the bottom of this note.

The exact costs for the administration of a complex estate will depend on various factors. We therefore provide a costs estimate at the outset of the estate administration, taking into account the size and nature of the deceased's estate

Disbursements and other costs

Disbursements are costs related to the estate administration that are payable to third parties, such as the Grant of Representation court application fee. We will usually handle the payment of the disbursements on behalf of the estate to ensure a smoother process. The disbursements paid by us will then be recovered from the estate through the billing process.

The disbursements we anticipate applying are set out separately below. This list is not exhaustive and other disbursements may arise depending on the requirements of the particular estate administration.

  • Probate Registry fee - £300
  • Sealed Office Copies of the Grant - £16 per copy
  • Assets Search - up to £210 plus VAT
  • S27 Trustee Act - Statutory Notices - £250 - £350
  • TT/CHAPS and Foreign money transfer fee (per transfer) £35 plus VAT
  • Postage cost to send original Will to Probate Registry – approximately between £10.20 and £11.50 plus VAT.

The stages involved in the administration of a simple estate vary according to the circumstances, but below are the usual key stages:

  • Take your instructions and give you initial advice
  • Obtain Probate valuations
  • Prepare a Schedule of Assets & Liabilities at death to establish the value of the estate
  • Apply for the Grant of Representation
  • Encash the assets of the estate**
  • Pay debts and expenses
  • Income tax compliance
  • Prepare a cash statement
  • Distribute the estate.

**Please note this does not include the costs of selling a property. A costs estimate can be provided separately by our conveyancing team for this work.

The stages involved in the administration of a complex estate will be similar – although extra stages will inevitably be involved depending on the nature and value of the assets, tax position and other factors.

Timescale

How long it will take from taking instructions to finalising the estate administration will depend on a number of factors. However, the average administration of a simple estate takes between 9 – 12 months.

Complex estates may take considerably longer to administer and an estimate of the timescale will be given at the same time as a costs estimate.

Team members

Please see the links to the profiles of the team members who may be involved in your matter below.

We charge based on an hourly rate which varies depending on the member of staff dealing with your matter. Our lowest hourly rate is £115 excluding VAT and our highest hourly rate is £550 excluding VAT. The seniority of the members of staff dealing with your case will depend on its complexity. We will discuss this with you when you instruct us.

*VAT will be charged at the prevailing rate (which is currently 20%).

Our costs

We apply an administration charge to each matter to help offset the time and costs we incur in establishing the new matter in compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. The amount of the charge varies depending on our initial estimate of the fees chargeable for your new matter; the amount will not change if the actual fees charged are different or our estimate changes. The different levels of charge that will be made by reference to our initial fee estimate are:

  • £1,000: £25
  • Between £1,000 and £5,000: £50
  • Over £5,000: £100.