What is probate?
Probate is the legal process of dealing with someone's money, property and belongings after they die, known as their estate.
Not every estate needs probate. It depends on what the person owned and how they owned it. For example, money in a joint account usually passes to the other account holder.
Co-op Legal Services has a short questionnaire to help you check. It also gives you a fixed-fee quote, with no obligation.
How much does probate cost?
Co-op Legal Services charges a fixed fee for probate, rather than an hourly rate or a percentage of the estate's value.
Your quote depends on the value and type of assets, whether there's a will and how many people inherit. Fees are plus VAT and disbursements.
These examples show how the fee changes with the estate. Your own quote will be based on your situation.
| Estate | Estate value |
|---|---|
| No property, valid will, 2 banks, 4 beneficiaries | £54,000 |
| 1 property, valid will, 2 banks, 4 beneficiaries | £145,000 |
| 1 property, valid will, 6 banks, 4 beneficiaries | £240,000 |
| 1 property, no will, 8 banks, 4 beneficiaries | £730,000 |
Once you have a written quote, the price won't change unless the information it's based on turns out to be wrong or circumstances change.
What are disbursements?
Disbursements are costs paid to other organisations for specialist services during probate, such as transferring ownership of registered properties. They're added to the fixed fee, and any that can be identified are listed on your written quote before work starts.
The probate application fee
Whoever deals with the estate pays an application fee to the Probate Registry for the grant of probate. You can also order extra copies of the grant for a charge. There's no fee if probate isn't needed.
How the fees are paid
There's usually nothing to pay upfront, as the fees are taken from the estate at the end of the process.
If the estate won't have enough money to cover the fees, you may be asked to pay some or all of them first. Co-op Legal Services will explain this before you decide to go ahead.
What's included
Co-op Legal Services takes responsibility for getting the grant of probate and dealing with the legal, tax and estate administration work. That includes:
- a free first meeting with a probate consultant, at home, somewhere else you choose, by video or by phone
- a dedicated case handler, who keeps you updated from start to finish
- checking the will is valid or, if there's no will, applying the law on who inherits
- applying for the grant of probate
- valuing and collecting in the estate, and paying any debts
- completing tax returns and dealing with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) on Inheritance Tax, Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax
- preparing the estate accounts and sharing out the estate
Some property work costs extra, such as transferring a home to the people inheriting it or arranging a sale. You'll be told about these fees in writing before any work starts.
Co-op Legal Services provides probate in England and Wales.
Co-op Legal Services is a trading name of Co-operative Legal Services Limited, authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA number 567391). It is separate from OurCoop.
Questions about probate
Grief can stay with us for a long time. If you'd like to talk to someone, our community bereavement groups bring local people together for a cup of tea and a chat.