Probate Quotes: How much can we save you? It costs nothing to find out.

Probate Registry Fees for Probate Applications

• • If probate has already been granted, it costs £21 to make a second application. For example, if you want to apply as an executor after holding ‘power reserved’ on the first application. You’ll have to pay the fee even if the value of the estate is £5,000 or less.
  • If you are applying for probate initially, and you have completed a PA1A or PA1P. The application fee is £300.

For example: you have requested 4 official copies in addition. The total fees would be £306. That is £300 + 4 x £1.50. NOW £460!

• • If you are only eligible for fee remission (see below) for the £300 application fee only (waiver or refund), then you must pay for the 4 official copies, as the additional fees are not covered by the Help with Fees Scheme. So that would be 4 x £16 = £64

Additional Copies of Grant and Will or Letters of Administration (with Will or not).

Please pay for any official copies you require when applying for probate at the payment stage of the online application OR send a postal order for the value of £16 per copy required or a cheque, made out to ‘HM Courts and Tribunals Service’ and sent to:  HMCTS Probate, Scanning Department, PO Box 12625, Harlow, CM20 9QE.

Please send an accompanying note, stating the full name of deceased, date of birth and 16-digit probate reference, if known or write this information on the reverse if sending a cheque.

• • For general ‘fee’ queries, please email Probate at co************@*********ov.uk or call Probate on 0300 303 0648 (if you can get through)..

How to pay fees for Probate Applications

• If applying by post, include a cheque with the application payable to HMCTS Probate for the full fee, including any copies required.  The advantage is that when the cheque clears, you know your application has arrived.
• If you forgot to include payment you can send a cheque with your case reference number (failing which, the full name and date of death of the deceased and your details) to HMCTS Probate, Scanning Department, PO Box 12625, Harlow, CM20 9QE. If you don’t have cheque book, you can send a Postal Order or get a cheque from your bank or building society payable HMCTS Probate. OR
• You can ring the Probate Registry Helpline 0300 303 0646 with your case reference number (failing which, the full name and date of death of the deceased and your details) and pay by card – IF you can get through.

How to claim Probate Registry Fee Remission – discounts on the full probate fee if you qualify:

• The Help with Fees Scheme page on Gov.uk provides information on applying for fee remission for the application fee (up to £273). Please visit Link 1: https://www.gov.uk/applying-for-probate/fees. You can download a form or do it online.  If you can’t do that, call 0117 930 2430 and ask for an EX160 form to be sent to you. When complete, it goes to the Newcastle Probate Registry 2nd Floor, Kings Court, Earl Grey Way Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE29 6AR.
• For information on the new eligibility criteria for Help with Fees, which took effect on 27^th November 2023, please visit Link 2:  https://www.gov.uk/get-help-with-court-fees.

• If making an application for Help with Fees online a ‘HWF reference’ will be populated. EXAMPLE: HWF-123-ABC. Please send the reference to the Probate Registry (NOT ME!) at pr*****************@*********ov.uk, along with the Probate application case reference number (16-digit) you have been provided with.
• Please note that fee remission applications under the Help with Fees Scheme includes the application fee only, NOT fees for official copies.
• You can also complete an EX160 form, which can be emailed to us, along with the Probate application case reference number (16-digit) you have been provided with. Alternatively, you can print off the EX160 form from Link 2, above, and send it to: Newcastle District Probate Registry, 2nd Floor, Kings Court, Earl Grey Way, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE29 6AR.

Over here, it is not always possible for beneficiaries to see the Will until after probate has been granted. But prompt action is essential as otherwise the funds might disappear and not be recoverable. Over here, there is a theoretical limit of 6 months after the grant to raise a dispute, so it pays to keep an eye on the list of Probate Grants so you can act as soon as Probate approval is granted, and request a copy of the Will (if any) and Grant. If there is no will, have a look at the Rules of Intestacy.

Our advice is always if you have suspicions, ask for a copy of the Will, and hit that you will take it further if you don’t get one. Many executors will then comply (though they don’t have too!)

If that doesn’t work, we would ask a solicitor to write a letter requesting a copy, and gently pointing out the risk of enormously expensive probate disputes (contentious probate) which can leave everyone losing out badly.

If that doesn’t work, if you can gather any evidence of wrongdoing (or the intention of wrongdoing), then you may have a case for raising a dispute immediately, before probate is granted. But it is pointless raising a dispute without evidence, except as a negotiating tactic.

We don’t deal with contentious probate ourselves, but we do know some firms who are genuinely out to help and won’t charge excessive fees – unless you are so angry you push things too far, against advice, which does happen. Negotiated settlements often mean getting something rather than nothing.

But I would repeat the point that many executors do not understand the Wills they are administering, and given some help, would do the right thing, so don’t rush into legal action.

 More help on Probate/ Will Disputes.

Probate answer – when there is No Will:

For some reason, the oldest child often gets it into their head that they automatically inherit everything. Apart from the throne, that just isn’t the case.  So just point them at the Rules of Intestacy in the next paragraph – unless there is a valid

Probate Question: No Will – What Happens?

Probate Question – No Will – Intestacy.