If there is a will, the executors named in it are responsible for applying. If there is no will, the closest surviving relative usually applies, and the law sets the order of who is entitled to do so.

Whoever takes it on is personally responsible for administering the estate correctly, which is one reason many people ask for help rather than doing it alone. You can appoint us to handle it for you. Call our team and we will tell you in a few minutes whether probate is needed at all.

Our fees are fixed and quoted upfront, so you know the cost before you commit to anything. Full estate administration starts at £1,775, and our Grant Only service, where we prepare and submit the application and you handle the rest, starts at £895.

Those prices exclude VAT and third-party costs. The probate registry charges a £300 application fee, and copies of the grant are £16 each. Every estate is different, so call us for a no-obligation quote based on your circumstances.

The estate is shared out under the rules of intestacy, which set a fixed order of who inherits and how much. In England and Wales those rules do not always reflect what the person would have wanted, and unmarried partners have no automatic right to inherit under them, however long the relationship.

Instead of a grant of probate, the person dealing with the estate applies for letters of administration. We can explain where you stand and handle that application for you.

It varies a great deal with the size and complexity of the estate. A straightforward estate with one bank account and a couple of beneficiaries moves quickly. An estate with a property to sell, several shareholdings, foreign assets or Inheritance Tax to pay takes considerably longer, and the probate registry’s own processing times affect it too.

We will give you a realistic picture at the start, and your dedicated probate specialist will keep you updated at every stage, so you are never left wondering where things stand.