In 2019, we awaited the news of a dramatic increase to probate fees after an initial announcement by the Ministry of Justice. The plan was to implement a fee structure that would be dependent on the value of the estate. Rather than a fixed fee of £215 for all personal probate applications (and £155 for applications made by professionals), it was proposed that the fee would vary starting from £250 and potentially increasing up to £6,000.

Also, the current estate value threshold was to increase from £5,000 to £50,000.

The new fees were intended to generate £185 million a year to fund improvements to the court system but critics argued that the figures did not reflect the administration costs.

The proposal was scrapped in October 2019 by the Ministry of Justice.

We’re continuing to keep an eye on the headlines regarding probate fees as we are not quite convinced that a change is off the table this year.

Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have questions about probate fees. You can call 020 3488 3997 or email wills@ashtongrace.co.uk

Ashton Grace – Specialists in Peace of Mind