How much do Wills and Probate cost?

Applying for the grant, collecting and distributing the assets

We anticipate this will take between 16 and 19 hours work which is charged at an hourly rate. Our hourly rates are charged on qualification and experience of your lawyer and these rates are set out as follows :

All prices include VAT which is charged at 20%

Therefore we anticipate total costs estimated between £3,420 – £4,674 .

This quote is for estates where:

• There is a valid will
• There is no more than one property
• There are no more than 5 bank or building society accounts
• There are no other intangible assets
• There are no more than 4 beneficiaries
• There are no disputes between beneficiaries on division of assets. If disputes arise this is likely to lead to an increase in costs
• There is no inheritance tax payable and the executors do not need to submit a full account to HMRC
• There are no claims made against the estate
• Where there are complexities above these elements there would be an increase in fees.

We will keep you updated throughout the process of the matter.

Estimated Disbursements in addition to this cost estimate:

• Probate application fee of £155.00
• Bankruptcy-only Land Charges Department searches (£2 per beneficiary)
• £84.00 Post in The London Gazette – Protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors
• £218.59 Post in a Local Newspaper – This also helps to protect against unexpected claims

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as court fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.

Please note the costs quoted in relation to the Notices placed in the London Gazette and the Local newspaper may be subject to change this will also depend on the locality. The fees are payable to a third party and we will advise you of the exact cost at the time.
Please note that the above costs are subject to change should the matter become more complex than first thought. We will always discuss this with you before increasing any estimate already provided.

Potential additional costs

If there is no Will and we are required to trace missing beneficiaries, or the estate consists of any share holdings (stocks and bonds) there are likely to be additional costs that could range significantly depending on the estate and how it is to be dealt with. We can give you a more accurate quote once we have more information.

• If any additional copies of the grant are required, they will cost £1.50 (1 per asset usually)
• Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate is not included

How long will this take?

On average, estates that fall within this range are dealt with within 4-12 months. Typically, obtaining the grant of probate takes 7-8 weeks. Collecting assets then follows, which can take between 5-6 weeks. Once this has been done, we can distribute the assets, which normally takes 5-6 weeks.

Where possible we aim to deal with your matter within the timescales quoted. We are however reliant on third parties to comply with the above timescales. They are provided as a guide and may be subject to change depending on the circumstances. For example, where there is a property to be sold, the time it takes the property sale to proceed to completion will impact on any timescale given.

Fixed fee probate application

We can help you through this difficult process by obtaining the Grant of Probate on your behalf. We will also undertake the collecting and distributing of assets.

How much does this service cost?
TOTAL: fixed fee of £900.00 (incl. VAT).
This includes: obtaining the Grant of Representation
Breakdown of costs:
Legal fees £750.00
VAT on legal fees £150.00
Disbursements (£166.50 in total):

• Probate court fee of £155.00
• If copies are required these are charged at £1.50 each

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as court fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.

As part of our fixed fee we will:

• Provide you with a dedicated and experienced probate lawyer to work on your matter
• Identify the legally appointed executors or administrators and beneficiaries
• Accurately identify the type of Probate application you will require
• Complete the Probate Application and the relevant HMRC forms
• Draft a legal oath for you to swear
• Make the application to the Probate Court on your behalf
• Obtain the Probate and securely send as many copies of the document that you have requested (£1.50 per copy)

On average, estates that fall within this range are dealt with within 6-8 weeks however we are reliant on receiving the necessary information from you to proceed.