Probate fees and services

Services and exclusions

This guide concerns uncontested probate and estate administration with assets in the UK, whether there is a will or the estate is administered under the intestacy rules. The work required depends on the estate and the instructions agreed with its personal representatives.

Our estate administration service includes:

• Establishing asset and liability values and preparing the relevant inheritance tax information.
• Considering inheritance tax exemptions and reliefs and arranging payment where needed.
• Preparing the application for a grant of probate or letters of administration.
• Collecting assets and paying funeral costs, debts and administration expenses.
• Preparing estate accounts and distributing the estate to those entitled to it.

Tax returns are not normally included. Property sales and transfers are handled separately by our conveyancing department and carry additional charges. Inheritance tax, capital gains tax and other taxes are separate from our professional fees.

Disputes and overseas assets require a separate discussion and are outside this guide.

Fees and VAT

Grant of probate only

Our fee for a grant-of-probate-only service is £1,500 plus VAT at 20% (£1,800 including VAT), plus disbursements. This is a separate service from full estate administration.

Full estate administration

Our professional fees have two elements: time spent on the matter and a charge based on estate value. We can quote these separately, but both elements are added together to calculate our professional fee. VAT at 20% is then added to the combined fee. Third-party expenses are additional.

Time spent

Time charges cover work such as meetings, correspondence, telephone calls, preparation and drafting.

The hourly rate depends on who carries out the work and the requirements of the matter.

Estate-value element

Our estate-value charges are as follows, before VAT:

• Where the firm acts for its partners as executors: 1.5% of the gross estate value and 0.75% for the house.
• Where the firm acts for lay personal representatives: 1% of the gross estate value and 0.5% for the house.

Gross estate value for this purpose includes assets reported for inheritance tax purposes, relevant jointly owned shares not passing under the grant and interests in trusts.

We explain the value element for the particular estate in our quotation.

Overall likely cost

Each estate is different. The work may be straightforward or complex, depending on the assets involved, tax position, beneficiaries and issues that arise during administration. This makes it difficult to estimate the final cost at the outset. We quote the time and value elements separately for the particular estate and add them together.

We issue interim bills and, where appropriate, professional fees are paid from estate funds held by the firm.

Third-party expenses

Disbursements are payments made to other organisations in connection with the estate, separate from our fees.

• Probate application: £526 for estates over £5,000, with no application fee for estates of £5,000 or less. No VAT is added to this court fee.
• Additional grant copies: £2 each when ordered with the application, or £16 each if ordered afterwards. No VAT is added to these court charges. See GOV.UK probate fees.
• Gazette notice: £96.55 plus 20% VAT (£115.86 including VAT) using the webform or Gazette template; other submission formats cost £131.70 plus VAT (£158.04 including VAT).
• Newspaper notice, where required: The Gazette lists newspaper placement at £240 plus 20% VAT (£288 including VAT), additional to the Gazette notice. A standard webform Gazette notice plus this newspaper placement is therefore £403.86 including VAT. These are the publisher’s charges; other providers or additional services can cost differently. See The Gazette’s 2026 price list.
• Bankruptcy searches: HM Land Registry’s K16 fee is £6 per name electronically or £7 per name by post. See Land Charges fees. Provider charges may be additional. Where 20% VAT applies to the recharge, £6 becomes £7.20 and £7 becomes £8.40.
• Land Registry title information: an official register or title plan copy costs £7 each electronically or £11 each by post (£14 or £22 for both). The statutory fees do not attract VAT, although VAT may apply to the firm’s recharge depending on how the information is used. See Information Services fees.
• Property registration or transfer: additional Land Registry fees depend on value and application type. For a qualifying electronic assent of a whole registered title, Scale 2 fees range from £20 to £140; postal or part-title Scale 2 applications range from £45 to £305. First registrations and sales follow different scales. These statutory fees do not attract VAT. See Registration Services fees. Our conveyancing fees are separate.

Published court, Gazette and Land Registry charges above were checked directly against the linked sources on 15 October 2026. The number of notices, copies and searches depends on the estate. HMRC’s search-fee guidance explains why VAT on a solicitor’s recharge can differ from VAT on the underlying statutory fee.

Stages and timescales

1. Initial instructions and valuation: establish who can act and gather information about assets, liabilities and beneficiaries.
2. Tax information and grant application: prepare the required information, arrange tax payments where necessary and apply for the grant.
3. Collecting assets and settling liabilities: obtain estate funds and deal with outstanding debts and expenses.
4. Accounts and distribution: prepare the estate accounts and arrange payments to beneficiaries.

We expect a straightforward estate administration to take approximately six to twelve months overall. More complex tax or trust issues, property sales, delays obtaining information, shareholdings and enquiries from public bodies can extend this period.

Team and supervision

Meet our Private Client team and read about their experience and qualifications.

Discuss an estate

See our wills, powers of attorney, trusts and storage fees for related services.

Contact our Private Client team

Read about probate and estate administration, or view our complaints procedure.