Probate fees for a simple estate administration
1. The gross value of the estate is less than the current nil rate band of £325,000
2. There is a valid Will with executors willing to act
3. There is no more than one property
4. There are no more than 1-5 bank or building society accounts
5. There are no other assets such as shares, bonds or investments
6. There are no disputes on division of the assets between the beneficiaries
7. There are no claims against the estate
8. All assets, beneficiaries and executors are based in the UK
We estimate that a simple administration will take between 7-15 hours at the rate of £235 per hour plus VAT being around £1,500 -£3,400 (plus VAT). The exact cost, however, will depend on the estate composition and number of beneficiaries.
Crucially, unlike many solicitors, we do not charge an additional fee based on the value of the estate (usually an additional 1.5% of the gross value of the assets).
There are also disbursements payable in addition to the fees above. Disbursements are necessary payments to third parties as part of the administration process. These disbursements include the Probate Registry fee of £300 for the grant, with official copies of the grant being £1.50 each. Bankruptcy land charge searches at £6 per person (for the beneficiaries). There are additional fees for adverts in the London Gazette and local newspapers to protect against unexpected claims which will cost in the region of £250. You will be advised of other disbursements in the course of the administration.
The guide price for a simple administration does not include the cost of carrying out the tasks below. We are happy to provide you with a separate cost estimate for any of these tasks which will be carried out on the basis of an hourly rate of £235 (plus VAT) and may include further disbursements to third parties.
We can provide a more accurate estimate of costs and timescale once we have information regarding your specific needs.
The fees below are an estimate. An exact fee can be provided once we have more information from you. The fees given exclude VAT.
Standard Will – from £250
Joint wills – from £400
Codicil – £100 for 1 or £150 for 2
We would recommend that you register your Will with Certainty (certainty.co.uk) which is a National Wills Register. Registering your Will with Certainty is uncomplicated and effective. It is a fact that not being able to locate a Will causes untold distress and potential financial loss for family or beneficiaries. It can lead to a contentious probate if arguments arise over lost Wills or if a previous Will is submitted in error. It takes just a minute or two to record the location of your Will through Certainty’s registration process. This ensures that if your Will is lost, misplaced or forgotten over the passage of time, the location of it can be identified.
Wills prepared by us can be registered with Certainty for no additional cost (usually £30.00)
One Lasting Power of Attorney Property & Financial Affairs (LPA PF) – £350
One Lasting Power of Attorney Health & Welfare (LPA HW) – £350
Both LPAs for one person – £550
If LPAs are needed for yourself and your partner, then a further reduced fee is available.
Two Lasting Power of Attorney Property & Financial Affairs (LPA PF) – £550
Two Lasting Power of Attorney Health & Welfare (LPA HW) – £550
Two sets of both LPAs (four LPAs) – £795
LPAs need to be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) before they can be used. The OPG charge a fee for registration of the LPAs which is currently £92 each LPA. This is an additional cost to the above quoted fees. You may be eligible for assistance with the OPG fees dependent on your financial situation.
We aim to have a two week turnaround on Wills from date of instruction to signing the Will but is case specific dependent on complexity of Will.
Timescales on LPAs are case specific and are also impacted by the delays experienced by the OPG in registering and returning LPAs.
Work is undertaken on an hourly rate of £235 plus VAT.
Some areas of work can be undertaken for a set fee. If the work in that area, however, becomes more complex than anticipated or if additional work is required, then additional work will be charged at the above hourly rate. It is difficult to provide a timescale as much of the work in this area is dependent on court response times and on the response of your spouse/partner and/or their solicitor.
If you already have a financial settlement in mind, then we can draft the Consent Order and D81, and advise on the settlement itself (unless the settlement was reached at mediation where minimal additional advice is needed).
Fees for applications for Non Molestation Orders or Occupation Orders will vary given the urgency of the work and the need for court involvement.
We can provide a more accurate estimate of costs and timescale once we have information regarding your specific needs, for example, whether or not you have already agreed a parenting plan or contact arrangements, or whether you need to take the matter to court.
Disbursements you may incur include court application fees and representation at court should counsel be needed.
The court fee to submit a divorce petition is currently £593.
Court fee to commence financial proceedings £275.
Fee to seal Financial Consent Order £58.
On Children Act applications the court fee to submit an application for a Child Arrangements Order, Specific Issue Order or Prohibited Steps Order is £215.
There is no VAT on court fees. You may be eligible for assistance with court fees dependent on your financial situation.
There are no court fees in relation to domestic violence applications for Non Molestation Orders or Occupation Orders.
For up to date information on court fees please refer to EX50 Civil and Family Court Fees (publishing.service.gov.uk)
To book one of our services, please get in touch.
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