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Grant of Probate and Distributing Assets

Prices as of 1st August 2025

Costs for Applying for the Grant of Probate collecting and distributing the assets

When someone dies, dealing with their estate can be upsetting and an emotionally difficult task. We help to minimise the stress, acting for executors and family members to ensure that the estate is administered correctly.

Whether your loved one has left a will or not we can help you wind up their estate with as little inconvenience and stress as possible. We will work with any executors to make certain everything goes according to the will or by the law.

How much does the service cost?

Total costs estimated for the Estate Administration will be 2-3% of the total gross value of the estate (depending upon the complexity) however the exact costs will be calculated on the total amount of time taken in the administration.

The cost will depend upon the individual circumstances of the matter. For example, if there is one beneficiary and no property, and no inheritance tax to pay then costs will be at the lower end of the range. If there are multiple beneficiaries, property, multiple bank accounts and investments and inheritance tax issues in the estate then costs will be at the higher end.

The time to be taken in the administration and thereby the eventual costs in the matter will also be affected by the following:

  • Whether there is a valid Will or not
  • Whether there is more than one property including land and business interests
  • There are numerous bank or building society accounts
  • The number of beneficiaries and whether any of those are charities
  • Whether there are any disputes between beneficiaries on division of the assets.
  • Whether there is inheritance tax payable upon the estate assets and the type of detailed inheritance tax account the Executors need to submit to HMRC
  • Whether any claims are made against the estate by any third parties

Disbursements to be included apart from our fees include:

  • Bankruptcy Search Fees on the Beneficiaries – £7.80 per search
  • Land Registry Search fees of £10.00 per search if estate properties are registered at the Land Registry
  • Money Laundering & Compliance Checks for Deceased & Executors of £7.50 per search
  • Secure GDPR Data Protection Compliant File Storage – £39.00
  • Advertisement of the Estate in the London Gazette and Local Newspaper of details of the Deceased and their estate – to protect against unexpected claims from unknown creditors – £200 to £400 depending on chosen newspapers

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as court fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.

Potential additional costs

  • If there is no will or the estate consists of any share holdings (stocks and bonds) there is likely to be additional costs that could range significantly depending on the estate and how it is to be dealt with. We can give you a more accurate quote once we have more information.
  • If any additional copies of the grant are required, they will cost £1.50 each (1 per asset usually).
  • Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate is not included.

How long will this take?

The average estate administration will take between 6 to 18 months to complete. Typically the Probate Court will take between 16 to 24 weeks to issue the Grant of Probate once they have received the application.  Once the probate has been obtained then collection of assets and payment of all estate liabilities then follows.  This can take between 4 to 12 weeks depending upon the complexity of the matter and the number of assets and liabilities involved.   Once everything has been completed and there are no further issues to deal with then we can distribute the estate proceeds as required which normally takes 4 to 8 weeks.