How Long Does Probate Take? (Updated May 2025)
Short answer? It depends – but it often takes longer than you think. And the start time for the process of the Probate Registry approving a grant of probate is AFTER the executors have gathered in all the information (typically 3 to 12 months) and AFTER HMRC approval has been given and AFTER any Inheritance Tax has been paid. Only then can the Probate Registry start to process the application.
If you’re asking “how long does probate take?”, “how long will probate take?”, or even “how long does it take to get probate?,” you’re not alone. With hundreds of thousands of families applying every year, delays are a big deal.
🕑 What are the current waiting times?
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Online (digital) applications: usually 2 to 4 weeks (when everything goes smoothly).
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Paper applications: these are much slower – currently 12-15 weeks on average.
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If there’s an error – even something small – delays can shoot up to 6 months or more.
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Worst-case scenario? Some people are still waiting after a year.
🔥 Probate Delays: What’s Causing Them?
You might be shocked to hear that there were 80,000 probate cases stuck in the system! That included a backlog of 50,000 beyond the usual levels. That has greatly improved I am told.
And here’s the real kicker: at one point, there were fewer than three full-time registrars doing the work of what used to be thirty.
They’ve now hired more staff, which does help as their training helps them get better. The government says things are improving – they even brought in a new management team in 2024 – but most families still find the experience painfully slow and stressful.
📞 Can I Chase the Probate Registry?
Yes… but good luck! BUT only the executor or solicitor can ask for updates.
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Phone line hours are limited: 9 am–1 pm, Monday to Friday.
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Webchat is supposed to be open 9 am–5 pm… but don’t hold your breath.
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Best bet? Email: co************@*********ov.uk. Include the name of the person who died, the date of death, and your case number if you have one.
💡 Top Tip: If it’s been more than 16 weeks, copy your MP into the email too. It can speed things up.
⚠️ What if Probate Is Delayed?
Probate delays cause all sorts of knock-on problems:
The government says they aim to grant probate within 16 weeks – but real-life cases often take longer, especially if there’s a mistake or missing information.
📝 What Can You Do?
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Chase at 16 weeks: Don’t wait any longer – send that email.
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Use your MP: Tell them what’s going on. The more noise, the more likely change will happen.
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Be kind to registry staff: It’s not their fault – they’re overwhelmed and under-resourced.
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Check the status: If you applied online, you can log in and check your case on the government website.
🤯 Did You Know?
A recent survey found that 99% of executors found probate harder than expected. Only 1% said it was easier. No surprises there.
Need Help with Probate?
If you’re stuck, need guidance, or are facing a dispute, get in touch. I’m happy to point you in the right direction, but I am NOT a probate lawyer..
Incidentally, a recent survey showed that just 1% of executors found the process easier than expected, and 99% did not.
We cannot help once the case is submitted!
You could try out the Ministry of Justice’s
new contact page – let me know if it works – in the sense of getting a useful response, please!
Probate Loans/ Advance Where to Register a Death Professional Help Needed? Disputes – be very careful IHT
How to make a formal complaint about the Probate Registry Service – but do read on for more useful tips.
(
Retired Judges story online). Don’t get too excited – he only got £50!
NB Only the executors may chase probate delays.
History for older cases
According to This Is Money, apart from closing most of the Probate Registries, the Justice Department had culled around
one-third of the workforce over the last three years, emphasising getting rid of senior staff who are more costly but vastly more experienced. Then of course they introduced a glitchy computer system. Now they have recruited 100 new (and one assumes, green) staff to try to resolve the situation. This is no doubt resulting in more “stops” which massively increase delays as there is (surprise!) a shortage of experienced staff to sort out problems. It must be irritating to find out that your case was “stopped” 15 weeks ago when you eventually get to speak to a human being (if you ever do) once the 16-week purdah period is up. Sorry for the repeat:
My General Guide to Probate
It is ESSENTIAL to chase probate immediately on reaching 16 weeks after they have been submitted.
to ensure there is no issue that has not been resolved, as the overworked and stressed registry staff struggle with an inadequate computer system and less experienced staff. Sadly, some with not speak to executors if the case has been submitted by a solicitor, and repeated chasing of solicitors to chase the registry can escalate your costs substantially, so my recommendation is to email the registry at
co************@*********ov.uk and copy in your MP. Worse follows:
It is not unknown for cases to have been totally ignored.
– the electronic equivalent of having fallen down the back of a desk.
WARNING: the National Audit Office has discovered that some tasks marked as COMPLETE on the Registries software are NOT, in fact, complete. So maybe ask for a double-check.
We have discovered that there may be a delay of up to 5 months in making copy Wills and Grants available after probate has been granted. This WILL lead to cases where it is (in theory)
too late to contest a Will or Grant within the normal 6-month time limit. It will be at a judge’s discretion whether to accept an out-of-time application, which means more cost and delay. This makes earlier action if there may be a dispute more important, and we have a number of excellent
contentious probate specialist firms who can help in such cases at a relatively modest cost. Don’t wait until there is time for the money to be gone!!
It still seems to be pretty much a waste of time to phone Registries, except to make payment on their payment-only line. I would send a cheque to save time and at least gain confirmation of receipt when it clears your bank. Always use Recorded or Special Delivery, even though they probably won’t sign for it.
We did have one enquiry where it turned out that the grant had been issued months before but, for one reason or another, never turned up in the executors’ post! You can check if a grant has been issued
HERE and obtain a copy. Make sure the probate delay is real!
We can’t help with probate delays directly, being a private company. Still, if you read on, you will find out what you can do if the probate registry has not issued your Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration within 16 weeks of it being submitted
and complete. The clock stops if the Registry asks any further questions until those questions are
fully answered.
As the proposed fee increases have been dropped, for the moment, things should get back to normal.
Please be aware that the majority of grants are printed and posted from bulk printing and that grants can take up to 48 hours to be posted (more over a weekend) after the 16 weeks so please allow up to five days for delivery.
Do not commit to an exchange or completion deadline when putting properties on the market to sell without Probate being in place as long probate holdups may not be able to accommodate these until the backlog has cleared.
All cases
were being processed in date order, a policy that has now been amended to leave those facing longer probate delays worse off. Please note all registries are working to the same time scales, and if need be, work is being shared to ensure that all Registries are issuing around the same speed.
Please only contact the Registries about probate holdups if the matter is extremely urgent or if you believe your application was received by the Registry more than 16 weeks ago, and then use the
pr*************@*********ov.uk email.
Please be aware that the majority of grants are printed and posted from bulk printing and that grants can take up to 48 hours to be posted after the above date and so please allow up to five days for delivery.
Find out:
Complain about the Probate Registry Get your own estate in order
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