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Under new proposals published last week the Government is seeking to increase the fees payable for applying for a Grant of Representation (often called a Grant of Probate).  A Grant is usually needed to administer the estate of a deceased person.

The current fees to apply for a Grant are £155 if you are a probate professional and £215 for individuals – no matter the size of the estate.  The Government is now proposing that the probate fee be increased to a flat rate of £273 for both probate professionals and individuals citing that the current system operates at a loss and consequently places an unfair burden on the taxpayer.

These new proposals from the Government are in stark contrast their previous proposals that were initially published in 2017 and revived in 2019. In these proposals, the Government sought to base probate application fees on the value of an estate, which could have seen some bereaved families paying up to £20,000 for a Grant.

These plans were met with serious backlash at the time and were thankfully abandoned.  The current fee proposal is far more sensible and it would seem that the previous fee hike plans have been shelved for good.

Subject to the outcome of the consultation the Government plan to introduce the new fee structure in early 2022.

If you would like to enquire about instructing Leathes Prior to help you with the administration of an estate, please give our Wills, Trusts and Probate Team a call on 01603 610911 or email info@leathesprior.co.uk.  

Note: the content of this article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Specific legal advice should be taken in any specific circumstance.