Probate fee overhaul scrapped ahead of the election

Earlier in the year, the government announced there was going to be a significant overhaul of probate fees from 1 May 2017. The proposals outlined a move away from the current application fee of £215 or £155, to a new tiered fee system based on the value of the estate in question. Some families would have been charged £20,000 to extract the Grant of Probate under this new system.

However, the controversial plans to raise these fees were scrapped ahead of the general election. The Ministry of Justice said there would not be enough time for the legislation – dubbed a “stealth death tax” by critics – to go through Parliament before the election.

Probate fees are paid to the government when someone dies and the executor of their estate gathers their assets to distribute to beneficiaries of a Will. There is no fee paid for estates worth under £5,000.

Proposed probate tiered fee system:

• Estates valued at less than £50.000 – No probate fee
• Estates valued at £50,001 – £300,000 – £300 probate fee
• Estates valued at £300,001 – £500,000 – £1,000 probate fee
• Estates valued at £500,001 – £1m – £4,000 probate fee
• Estates valued at £1m – £1.6m –£8,000 probate fee
• Estates valued at £1.6m – £2m –£12,000 probate fee
• Estates valued at more than £2m – £20,000 probate fee

The probate fee system currently remains unchanged.