Please see the biographies of our team: Nicholas Harries, Emma Cox, Jenny Bird, Angus Richardson, Nicola Johnston and Shaun Evans.
Where appropriate, trainees and paralegals may also work on your matter.
Our fees
Our fees for acting on obtaining a grant of probate and the administering of a straightforward (uncontested) estate based wholly in the UK, vary.
The fee ranges likely to be charged (excluding VAT) are shown below. We have also set out some of the factors that may result in a fee at the higher or lower end of the range or in the stated range not being applicable – for example if the estate comprises any non-UK assets or where its administration is contested.
Stage 1: Applying for the grant of representation
£30,000 to £100,000
Stage 2: Administering the estate
£10,000 to £100,000
Notes on fees
These fees cover the UK probate processes with which we are commonly asked to assist. We will usually provide an estimate of costs up to and including obtaining the grant of representation in the first instance. Once the application for the grant of representation has been made, we will then provide a further estimate of costs for assisting with the administration of the estate based on the level of our involvement and the nature of the assets.
Our policy is to charge on a time-spent basis, subject to prior estimate. However, if you would prefer a fixed fee, we are able to do this in certain circumstances.
When deciding on an appropriate fee estimate we take into account a range of factors, including:
- the time taken to assist with the matter;
- the urgency of the matter;
- the level of correspondence likely to be involved;
- the complexity of the matter;
- the amount and quality of the information provided by the personal representatives;
- the likely level of engagement with the Probate Registry and HMRC; and
- the need to engage and liaise with third parties.
Disbursements
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as probate application fees. We will handle payment of the disbursements on your behalf and so these will appear on our invoice to you.
All fees are quoted exclusive of VAT and disbursements. The likely disbursements that will be incurred are:
- probate application fees which are currently £300 plus £1.50 for each official copy of the grant of representation obtained. We usually obtain at least 10 copies of the grant of representation;
- valuation fees which, if required, can range from around £500 plus VAT at 20% (where applicable) for a simple valuation to over £20,000 plus VAT (where applicable) for valuations of a complex asset;
- costs of advertising for creditors which are usually approximately £200 to £400 plus VAT at 20% (where applicable); and
- third party fees, such as:
- translation costs which can range from around £200 plus VAT (where applicable) to over £5,000 plus VAT (where applicable); and
- overseas lawyers’ fees which, depending on the complexity of the case, can range from around £1,000 plus any applicable taxes to over £100,000 plus any applicable taxes for complex estates.
VAT will be charged where the personal representatives are resident in the UK or the EU. If the personal representatives are not resident in the UK or the EU, VAT will not be charged.
Scope
We will provide a scope of work tailored to your particular circumstances once we have been provided with a completed probate questionnaire and full details of your circumstances. Set out below is our typical scope of work for assisting with a UK probate application.
Stage 1: Applying for the grant of representation
- locating and reviewing any will(s) and codicils and checking scope and validity of the same;
- notifying insurers of the death, checking adequacy of insurance cover and ensuring the personal representatives are noted on all the deceased’s insurance policies;
- ascertaining the domicile position of the deceased;
- gathering information on the assets and liabilities of the deceased at the date of death including corresponding with asset holders and creditors and obtaining valuations where necessary;
- establishing whether the deceased made any lifetime gifts that are relevant for Inheritance Tax purposes;
- considering the deceased’s lifetime income tax position (including liaising with the deceased’s accountant to ensure that a tax return is prepared to the date of death);
- preparing the Inheritance Tax account, submitting this to HMRC and arranging for the Inheritance Tax to be paid; and
- drafting the documentation to apply for the grant of representation and submitting this to the Probate Registry.
Stage 2: Administering the estate
- collecting assets (including arranging for assets to be sold or appropriated to beneficiaries) and settling liabilities;
- paying legacies;
- arranging for adverts for creditors to be placed;
- compiling estate accounts (or instructing an accountant to prepare these – in which case the accountant will bill separately);
- responding to any queries raised by HMRC in relation to the Inheritance Tax account and obtaining Inheritance Tax clearance;
- preparing tax returns to the date of death and for the administration period; and
- distributing the residuary estate.
The above scope and specified fee ranges do not apply to:
- assisting with the administration of assets situated outside England and Wales;
- administering any ongoing trusts created by the deceased’s will or intestacy; or
- advising on potential claims against the estate.
A separate fee quote will be provided for this work if required.
Time scales
Experience suggests that, on average, applications for grants of representation take approximately 4 to 12 months to prepare.
Typical processing times from the date of submission of the relevant documents are as follows:
HMRC
- Between 4 to 8 weeks to confirm receipt of the Inheritance Tax account and any Inheritance Tax due
The Probate Registry
- Between 4 to 16 weeks to issue the grant of representation
Complex applications
Please note that probate applications which involve complex issues, such as where the deceased was not domiciled in England and Wales or where a caveat has been entered at the Probate Registry will take longer to be prepared and processed.