Probate fees increased to £273 on 26 January 2022.

This set fee applies:

• regardless of whether the application is made by a probate professional (such as a solicitor) or an individual acting for themselves; and
• to all applications for estates that are over £5000. Estates of £5000 or less will continue to have no fee.

Up until these changes, HM Courts and Tribunal Services (HMCTS) has charged a fee £155 for an application for a grant of probate by a probate practitioner, and £215 for a personal application by an individual.

However, the Ministry of Justice has said that these fees do not cover the actual cost of processing the applications, therefore leaving a shortfall to be picked up by the taxpayer.

The new fee of £273, says the Ministry of Justice, fully covers the cost to HMCTS of processing the applications rather than taking money from the taxpayer. However, the Government department has stressed that the new fee will not generate any profit.

The Ministry of Justice published its full impact assessment online here.

If you have any queries or require any assistance with any probate matters, please contact our private client team.