Probate help · Bridlington and East Yorkshire
Probate, explained before you spend anything.
Someone has died and the paperwork has started. A few questions show whether you need probate, how long it usually takes and what Aaron would charge. No email needed to see the answer.
About a minute. No email needed to see the answer.
A few questions about the estate.
It asks about the will, any property and the estate’s rough value, then how much help you want.
- Recently bereaved families
- Executors named in a will
- Estates with no will
- Estates above the inheritance tax threshold
- Property to sell or transfer
Written by Aaron Johnson, Consultant Solicitor and TEP. Reviewed September 2026. The probate service and its fees.
What probate involves
The six stages, in order.
Probate is a sequence of tasks, each depending on the one before. Here is the whole of it, before you decide whether to do it yourself or instruct a solicitor.
Register the death
First weekWithin five days at the local register office; weekends and bank holidays count. Order eight to ten certified copies of the death certificate. Banks, insurers and pension providers each want one.
Find the will and secure the assets
Look for the original will: the solicitor who drafted it, the home, a safe deposit box, the National Will Register. Tell the insurer if the home is empty. Do not give anything to beneficiaries yet.
Value the estate
A value at the date of death for every asset: bank accounts, ISAs, pensions, Premium Bonds, possessions, property, and any gifts made in the last seven years. An underestimate can mean inheritance tax penalties later.
Apply for the grant
Usually within 12 weeks of the applicationFor deaths from 1 January 2022, most estates with no inheritance tax to pay (an excepted estate) need no separate HMRC form: the figures go into the probate application. Otherwise the full IHT400 account goes to HMRC first, and HMRC must send its code before the application can go in. The application goes to the Probate Registry online or on paper (form PA1P with a will, PA1A without one) with the £526 court fee.
Collect in, pay out, keep accounts
Present the grant to the banks and registrars to release the assets. Pay every known debt, the funeral bill and any inheritance tax due. Keep estate accounts. The law requires them.
Distribute to the beneficiaries
6 to 9 monthsAfter debts and tax, the rest is distributed under the will, or under the intestacy rules if there is none. Final estate accounts go to the beneficiaries. The matter closes when the last gift is paid.
What it costs
In writing, before any work starts.
Some probate firms charge a percentage of the estate on top of their fee. Safe Harbour does not. Every matter is a fixed fee, agreed in writing before any work starts. Nothing is charged by the hour.
Five fees, set by the work involved and never by the value of the estate. Two are fixed: the grant only, and the grant with the full inheritance tax account. Three are starting prices for full administration: cash and investments with a valid will; a property or no will; and the full inheritance tax account. The court fee, conveyancing on a sale and the tax itself are separate.
Regulated work (trust wills, probate, trust and estate administration) carries a small onboarding fee for the matter and an identity check for each person. Standard wills and powers of attorney do not. It is confirmed before any work starts. Full schedule on the fees page.
- Grant only probate
Reviewing the will and death certificate, the estate figures and any transferred allowance reported in the probate application, the legal statement, the application, and the grant handed to you. Usually within 12 weeks of the application (HMCTS).
Collecting in assets, paying debts and distributing, the full IHT400 account, deeds of variation and disputes.
£950+ VAT(£1,140 inc. VAT) - Grant only, with the IHT400 account
The full IHT400 account and schedules, the reliefs and allowances claimed, tax calculated and the account submitted to HMRC, then the application and the grant. HMRC's code first, then usually within 12 weeks of the application (HMCTS).
Collecting in and distributing, paying the tax for you, relief claims needing valuations, deeds of variation and disputes.
£1,800+ VAT(£2,160 inc. VAT) - Estate administration
Valuations, the excepted estate's figures in the probate application, the grant, collecting in the assets, paying debts and tax, final accounts and distribution, for an estate of cash and investments with a valid will. Typically 6 to 9 months.
Conveyancing, valuers and clearance firms, deeds of variation and disputes.
What the starting price assumes, and what raises it
- What the starting price assumes
- Up to 4 beneficiaries.
- Up to 6 bank, building society or NS&I accounts.
- Up to 3 shareholdings or investment holdings. A portfolio run by one manager counts as one.
- All the assets in the UK.
- A valid will.
- What raises the quote
- More beneficiaries, accounts or holdings than the starting price assumes, or shares to be sold rather than transferred.
- A property, or no will. The estate then moves to the property or no will tier.
- The full IHT400 account. The estate then moves to the IHT400 tier.
- Assets outside the UK.
- A business or a farm.
- A trust in the will, or a trust the estate creates.
- Lifetime gifts to trace and value.
- A beneficiary who is under 18, lives abroad or cannot be traced.
- An insolvent estate, where the debts are more than the assets.
- An HMRC enquiry.
- A dispute or a claim against the estate. A deed of variation is its own item, at its own fee.
Each is agreed with you in writing before the extra work starts, as a revised fixed fee. Never an hourly rate.
from£3,000+ VAT(£3,600 inc. VAT) - Estate administration, with a property or no will
Everything in estate administration, plus managing and selling or transferring the property or the share, or an intestacy. Typically 9 to 14 months.
Conveyancing fees, valuers and clearance firms, deeds of variation and disputes.
What the starting price assumes, and what raises it
- What the starting price assumes
- No more than one property in England and Wales, in the sole name or a share as tenants in common.
- Up to 4 beneficiaries.
- Up to 6 bank, building society or NS&I accounts.
- Up to 3 shareholdings or investment holdings. A portfolio run by one manager counts as one.
- All the assets in the UK.
- A valid will, or no will.
- An excepted estate, with no full IHT400 account.
- What raises the quote
- More beneficiaries, accounts or holdings than the starting price assumes, or shares to be sold rather than transferred.
- Each additional property.
- A property that has to be let, cleared or managed for a long time.
- The full IHT400 account. The estate then moves to the IHT400 tier.
- Assets outside the UK.
- A business or a farm.
- A trust in the will, or a trust the estate creates.
- Lifetime gifts to trace and value.
- A beneficiary who is under 18, lives abroad or cannot be traced.
- An insolvent estate, where the debts are more than the assets.
- An HMRC enquiry.
- A dispute or a claim against the estate. A deed of variation is its own item, at its own fee.
Each is agreed with you in writing before the extra work starts, as a revised fixed fee. Never an hourly rate.
from£5,000+ VAT(£6,000 inc. VAT) - Estate administration, with the full IHT400 account
Everything in estate administration with a property where it applies, plus the full IHT400 account and schedules, the reliefs and allowances claimed, the tax calculated and paid from the estate (including instalments on a property), HMRC correspondence and clearance. Typically 9 to 14 months.
Conveyancing fees, valuers and clearance firms, deeds of variation and disputes. The inheritance tax itself, which is paid from the estate.
What the starting price assumes, and what raises it
- What the starting price assumes
- The full IHT400 account, whether or not tax is due.
- No more than one property, in England and Wales.
- Up to 4 beneficiaries.
- Up to 6 bank, building society or NS&I accounts.
- Up to 3 shareholdings or investment holdings. A portfolio run by one manager counts as one.
- All the assets in the UK.
- A valid will.
- What raises the quote
- More beneficiaries, accounts or holdings than the starting price assumes, or shares to be sold rather than transferred.
- Each additional property.
- A property that has to be let, cleared or managed for a long time.
- No will.
- Assets outside the UK.
- A business or a farm.
- A trust in the will, or a trust the estate creates.
- Lifetime gifts to trace and value for the IHT400 account.
- A beneficiary who is under 18, lives abroad or cannot be traced.
- An insolvent estate, where the debts are more than the assets.
- An HMRC enquiry.
- A dispute or a claim against the estate. A deed of variation is its own item, at its own fee.
Each is agreed with you in writing before the extra work starts, as a revised fixed fee. Never an hourly rate.
from£8,000+ VAT(£9,600 inc. VAT)
Third-party costs, paid at cost, not Aaron’s fee
- Probate application fee, none if the estate is £5,000 or less£526
- Extra copies of the grant, each, ordered with the application; £16 each afterwardsfrom £2
- Bankruptcy searches, Per beneficiary, before distribution£7.20
- Section 27 statutory notices, London Gazette and a local newspaper; protects executors from unknown creditorsfrom £250
- Land Registry official copies, per document, HM Land Registry, no VAT£7
What probate is
Probate in plain English.
When someone dies, what they owned does not pass automatically to whoever inherits it. Banks freeze the accounts. Share registrars block the holdings. The Land Registry will not let property change hands. Someone has to prove they have the legal authority to deal with the estate. That proof is a grant of probate or, where there is no will, letters of administration.
The grant is issued by the Probate Registry, part of His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service. The executor named in the will applies, or the next of kin under the intestacy rules. They send the death certificate, the original will, the inheritance tax figures and a statement of truth. The Registry checks the paperwork, takes the court fee and issues the grant. Where HMRC has to agree the tax first, it takes longer.
Once the grant is in hand, the work begins. A copy goes to each bank, insurer, pension provider and registrar. They release the assets to the executor, or the administrator where there is no will. Every known debt is paid. Inheritance tax is due by the end of the sixth month after death, grant or no grant. HMRC charges interest after that. What remains is distributed to the beneficiaries named in the will, or to whoever inherits under the intestacy rules. Finally, estate accounts are prepared. The executor must be able to show every penny.
A straightforward estate has one or two banks, no property, a valid will and no disputes. It also sits under the £325,000 nil-rate band. You can handle one yourself if you have the time and a head for paperwork. The application is on GOV.UK.
A complicated estate is different. It may have property to sell, an IHT400 account to file or a business to deal with. A blended family, missing paperwork or a dispute also makes an estate complicated. The executor is personally liable for mistakes, such as underestimating tax or missing a creditor. Paying out before the debts are settled is another. For an estate with property or above the inheritance tax threshold, a solicitor at a fixed fee is usually worth it.
Aaron quotes a fixed fee in writing before any work starts, never by the hour, so you know the bill on day one. He will say plainly when your situation is one you can handle yourself. Get your price, at the top of this page, gives that answer before you speak to anyone.
When to do it yourself
When you do not need a solicitor.
Many estates need no solicitor, and Aaron will say so if yours is one of them. If the answer to all four of these is yes, you can probably handle probate yourself.
A small estate, under £50,000, with no property
Most banks release balances between £5,000 and £50,000 against a death certificate and a simple indemnity, with no grant. NS&I, including Premium Bonds, may ask for a grant once its holdings reach £5,000. ISA providers set their own limits.
Everything was owned jointly
Joint bank accounts and a home held as joint tenants with the surviving spouse pass to them automatically. If everything was owned that way, no grant is needed.
A clear will, no inheritance tax, one executor with time
Doing it yourself is realistic if you have the original will and the estate is under £325,000. You also need to be the sole executor, with hours to spare over several months. Forms should not frighten you, either. GOV.UK has the forms and the guidance.
No disputes, no blended-family complications
An estate can be straightforward enough to handle yourself when everyone accepts the will. Nobody should be likely to challenge the will or make a claim against the estate.
- Not sure which side of the line you are on? The answer is about a minute away, with no email: Get your price.
The figures that matter
Legal thresholds, as at September 2026.
- Nil-rate band, per person
- £325,000
- Inheritance tax is charged above this, subject to the allowances below.
- Residence nil-rate band, per person
- £175,000
- Where the family home passes to children or grandchildren. Tapers above an estate of £2,000,000.
- A couple, with the planning in place
- up to £1,000,000
- Two nil-rate bands and two residence nil-rate bands, where unused allowances pass to the survivor.
- Court fee for the grant
- £526
- Paid to the Probate Registry with the application. Copies of the grant are £2 each with the application, £16 afterwards. Not Aaron’s fee.
- Small-estate bank limits
- £5,000 to £50,000
- Each bank sets its own limit for releasing money without a grant.
- Inheritance tax due
- Month 6
- By the end of the sixth month after death, grant or no grant. HMRC charges interest after that.
Written by Aaron Johnson, Consultant Solicitor and TEP · Law of England and Wales as at September 2026 · Ends
Common questions
The seven questions families ask most.
Every answer is general information. Aaron applies it to your facts on the call.
Do I always need a grant of probate?
Not always. If the estate is under about £5,000 with no property and no shares, a grant may not be needed. Many banks release the balance against a death certificate and a simple indemnity. Some banks extend that small-estate limit to £50,000. If there is property to sell or transfer, or sizeable pension or investment assets, a grant is almost always needed. Get your price, at the top of this page, gives a sense of whether the small-estate route is open. Aaron confirms it in a 15-minute call.
Do I always need a grant of probate?
Not always. If the estate is under about £5,000 with no property and no shares, a grant may not be needed. Many banks release the balance against a death certificate and a simple indemnity. Some banks extend that small-estate limit to £50,000. If there is property to sell or transfer, or sizeable pension or investment assets, a grant is almost always needed. Get your price, at the top of this page, gives a sense of whether the small-estate route is open. Aaron confirms it in a 15-minute call.
How long does probate take in England and Wales?
For a straightforward estate (one or two banks, no property to sell, no inheritance tax) the Probate Registry issues the grant usually within 12 weeks of the application, and Aaron's full administration typically takes 6 to 9 months from first instruction to final distribution. Where HMRC needs the full IHT400 account first, HMRC must send its code before the application can go in, which adds time. An estate with a property to sell or tax to settle typically takes 9 to 14 months. Estates with assets abroad, a disputed will or a business can run well beyond that. Aaron gives a realistic timeline on the call.
How long does probate take in England and Wales?
For a straightforward estate (one or two banks, no property to sell, no inheritance tax) the Probate Registry issues the grant usually within 12 weeks of the application, and Aaron's full administration typically takes 6 to 9 months from first instruction to final distribution. Where HMRC needs the full IHT400 account first, HMRC must send its code before the application can go in, which adds time. An estate with a property to sell or tax to settle typically takes 9 to 14 months. Estates with assets abroad, a disputed will or a business can run well beyond that. Aaron gives a realistic timeline on the call.
How much does a probate solicitor cost?
Safe Harbour charges fixed fees: never a percentage of the estate, never by the hour. A grant-only application, where you handle the rest, is £950 + VAT plus the £526 court fee; where HMRC needs the full IHT400 account before the grant it is £1,800 + VAT. Full administration has three starting prices. An estate of cash and investments with a valid will is from £3,000 + VAT. With a property in the sole name or no will it is from £5,000 + VAT, because the Land Registry work or confirming who inherits under the intestacy rules add to the job. Where HMRC needs the full IHT400 account it is from £8,000 + VAT, with or without a property. Each starting price assumes a simple estate. More beneficiaries, accounts, shareholdings or properties, a business, assets abroad, a trust in the will or a dispute raise it, agreed in writing as a fixed fee before the work starts. Every fee is in writing before any work starts.
How much does a probate solicitor cost?
Safe Harbour charges fixed fees: never a percentage of the estate, never by the hour. A grant-only application, where you handle the rest, is £950 + VAT plus the £526 court fee; where HMRC needs the full IHT400 account before the grant it is £1,800 + VAT. Full administration has three starting prices. An estate of cash and investments with a valid will is from £3,000 + VAT. With a property in the sole name or no will it is from £5,000 + VAT, because the Land Registry work or confirming who inherits under the intestacy rules add to the job. Where HMRC needs the full IHT400 account it is from £8,000 + VAT, with or without a property. Each starting price assumes a simple estate. More beneficiaries, accounts, shareholdings or properties, a business, assets abroad, a trust in the will or a dispute raise it, agreed in writing as a fixed fee before the work starts. Every fee is in writing before any work starts.
Can I do probate myself, without a solicitor?
Yes, for a straightforward estate. You apply on GOV.UK, online or on paper: form PA1P where there is a will, PA1A where there is not. The Probate Registry handles applications from executors every day. Two questions first. Do you have the time? Probate can mean many hours of administration spread over several months. Do you want the personal liability? An executor is personally liable for mistakes, such as a wrong inheritance tax figure or a missed creditor. Paying beneficiaries before the debts are settled is another. Many people handle a small estate themselves. Where there is property, inheritance tax or a dispute, a fixed solicitor's fee is usually worth it for what is at risk.
Can I do probate myself, without a solicitor?
Yes, for a straightforward estate. You apply on GOV.UK, online or on paper: form PA1P where there is a will, PA1A where there is not. The Probate Registry handles applications from executors every day. Two questions first. Do you have the time? Probate can mean many hours of administration spread over several months. Do you want the personal liability? An executor is personally liable for mistakes, such as a wrong inheritance tax figure or a missed creditor. Paying beneficiaries before the debts are settled is another. Many people handle a small estate themselves. Where there is property, inheritance tax or a dispute, a fixed solicitor's fee is usually worth it for what is at risk.
What if there is no will?
You apply for letters of administration rather than a grant of probate. The process is similar, but the law decides who inherits, not the wishes of the person who died. The intestacy rules in the Administration of Estates Act 1925 set the order of who inherits. A spouse or civil partner comes first, then children, then parents, then brothers and sisters. An unmarried partner inherits nothing under those rules. They may have a claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975. That is a court claim, though, not an automatic right. Aaron goes through the intestacy position on the call.
What if there is no will?
You apply for letters of administration rather than a grant of probate. The process is similar, but the law decides who inherits, not the wishes of the person who died. The intestacy rules in the Administration of Estates Act 1925 set the order of who inherits. A spouse or civil partner comes first, then children, then parents, then brothers and sisters. An unmarried partner inherits nothing under those rules. They may have a claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975. That is a court claim, though, not an automatic right. Aaron goes through the intestacy position on the call.
What if I cannot find the original will?
Start with the solicitor who drafted it. Firms usually hold the original wills they drafted, often for decades. Then the home: a fireproof safe, a file drawer, the folder with the title deeds. Next, check the bank if there was a safe deposit box. Then search the National Will Register, and the HMCTS will storage service on GOV.UK. If the original is lost, it is sometimes possible to apply on a copy. The Probate Registry must then be satisfied the will was not destroyed on purpose. Aaron can help with that.
What if I cannot find the original will?
Start with the solicitor who drafted it. Firms usually hold the original wills they drafted, often for decades. Then the home: a fireproof safe, a file drawer, the folder with the title deeds. Next, check the bank if there was a safe deposit box. Then search the National Will Register, and the HMCTS will storage service on GOV.UK. If the original is lost, it is sometimes possible to apply on a copy. The Probate Registry must then be satisfied the will was not destroyed on purpose. Aaron can help with that.
Is the inheritance tax threshold really £325,000?
The nil-rate band is £325,000 per person, but many couples can reach up to £1,000,000 between them. A surviving spouse or civil partner inherits any unused nil-rate band from the first to die. There is also a residence nil-rate band of a further £175,000 per person. It applies where the family home passes to children or grandchildren. Two of each makes £1,000,000, where the planning is in place. The catch: the residence nil-rate band tapers away by £1 for every £2 the estate is over £2,000,000. Get your price, at the top of this page, says when HMRC needs the full inheritance tax account. The detail is worked through on the call.
Is the inheritance tax threshold really £325,000?
The nil-rate band is £325,000 per person, but many couples can reach up to £1,000,000 between them. A surviving spouse or civil partner inherits any unused nil-rate band from the first to die. There is also a residence nil-rate band of a further £175,000 per person. It applies where the family home passes to children or grandchildren. Two of each makes £1,000,000, where the planning is in place. The catch: the residence nil-rate band tapers away by £1 for every £2 the estate is over £2,000,000. Get your price, at the top of this page, says when HMRC needs the full inheritance tax account. The detail is worked through on the call.
Next step
Ready when you are.
Sixty seconds of questions that end on the probate service you need and a fixed fee, with VAT.
Or call 01262 310 850, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5.30pm.
Appointments are usually available within a few working days, including Tuesday and Thursday evenings, and home visits across East and North Yorkshire.
Important
This page, the Path Finder and the PDF guide contain general information about the law of England and Wales as at September 2026. It is not legal advice and should not be relied on in place of advice on your own circumstances. Probate, inheritance tax and intestacy law change often; check any specific point before acting on it. Outcomes for any one person depend on their facts, the documents, and decisions taken by HMRC, the courts and others. Fees shown are fixed once agreed in writing, before any work starts. Safe Harbour Legal and Legal Studio Solicitors are trading names of MDLS Solicitors Limited (company number 08599445), authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, SRA 598793. The complaints procedure is at legalstudio.co.uk/sra-complaints (Legal Studio's website).