Probate and estate administration · Fixed fees, with VAT
Probate at a fixed fee. Never a percentage.
When someone close to you dies, the paperwork should not fall on you.
- Fixed fees
- from£950plus VAT at 20%(£1,140 inc. VAT)for grant only probate
- How long
- Usually within 12 weeks of the application (HMCTS)
- Who does the work
- Aaron Johnson, personally
Probate, in plain English.
Probate is the legal work of dealing with someone’s money, property and debts after they die. In most cases it means getting a grant of probate from the Probate Registry.
It usually also means reporting to HMRC for inheritance tax, collecting in the assets and paying what is owed. The rest then passes to the people entitled to it.
Not every estate needs a grant. Smaller estates can sometimes be dealt with without one. The same goes for assets held jointly that pass to the surviving joint owner. Aaron will tell you at the first call whether probate is needed at all.
Aaron can obtain the grant and leave the rest to you. He can also administer the whole estate from start to finish. The fee is fixed and agreed before any work starts. It is never a percentage of the estate, and there is no hourly billing.
- No percentage-of-estate charges, so more of the inheritance stays with the family
- Inheritance tax accounts prepared by Aaron himself, not passed to an accountant
- One named contact: you call Aaron, not a switchboard
- Fixed fee agreed in writing before any work starts
Which kind of help?
Grant only probate
Reviewing the will and death certificate, the estate figures and any transferred nil-rate band reported in the probate application, the legal statement, the application, and the grant handed to you.
Grant only probate with the full inheritance tax 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.
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.
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.
Estate administration with the full inheritance tax 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.
From first call to grant in hand.
For grant only probate
Aaron listens, confirms that grant only is the right fit and gives you a fixed fee.
Send your details
The probate questionnaire, done before the papers are prepared.
Instructions and figures
You gather the date-of-death figures, the original will and the death certificate. Aaron opens the file and runs the identity checks.
Preparing the papers
Aaron uses your figures to prepare the application and the legal statement of truth.
Review and signing
You check the papers and sign to confirm the figures are right.
Application
Aaron submits the application, the statement and the will to the probate registry.
The grant
Aaron checks the grant when it arrives and hands it to you with the copies, so you can administer the estate.
A fillable PDF. Type into it, save it and email it back, or print it.
Your own fee in about a minute.
A few questions, and the Plan Finder gives your fee with VAT. No call needed.
What people ask about probate.
These answers are general information about the law of England and Wales, not legal advice. They state the law as at October 2026. Each case is assessed on its own merits.
How is probate priced?
Five fees, chosen by how much work the estate needs, not by its value. Grant only, where Aaron obtains the grant and you do the rest, has two tiers: one for an excepted estate (an estate that needs no full inheritance tax account) and a higher one where HMRC needs the full account, form IHT400, before the grant. Full administration, where Aaron does everything, has three starting prices. The base fee is for cash and investments with a valid will. A property to manage and sell, or no will, moves it to the next tier. The full IHT400 account moves it to the third, with or without a property. Each starting price assumes a simple estate: a few beneficiaries, accounts and holdings, all in the UK. More beneficiaries, accounts, shareholdings or properties raise it. A business, farm or foreign assets, a trust in the will, or a dispute raise it further, each agreed in writing before the work starts. The figures are on the fees page, and the Plan Finder shows which tier fits and why.
Read the guide: How much does probate cost in 2026/27? A clear breakdown of fees
How is probate priced?
Five fees, chosen by how much work the estate needs, not by its value. Grant only, where Aaron obtains the grant and you do the rest, has two tiers: one for an excepted estate (an estate that needs no full inheritance tax account) and a higher one where HMRC needs the full account, form IHT400, before the grant. Full administration, where Aaron does everything, has three starting prices. The base fee is for cash and investments with a valid will. A property to manage and sell, or no will, moves it to the next tier. The full IHT400 account moves it to the third, with or without a property. Each starting price assumes a simple estate: a few beneficiaries, accounts and holdings, all in the UK. More beneficiaries, accounts, shareholdings or properties raise it. A business, farm or foreign assets, a trust in the will, or a dispute raise it further, each agreed in writing before the work starts. The figures are on the fees page, and the Plan Finder shows which tier fits and why.
Read the guide: How much does probate cost in 2026/27? A clear breakdown of fees
Do I always need probate?
Not always. It depends on what the person owned and how it was held. Small estates can sometimes be dealt with without a grant. The same goes for assets held jointly that pass automatically to the surviving joint owner. Property in the deceased’s sole name, larger bank balances and investments usually need one. Aaron can tell you quickly, at no cost, whether probate is needed in your case.
Read the guide: Do you need probate? When it is required and when it isn't
Do I always need probate?
Not always. It depends on what the person owned and how it was held. Small estates can sometimes be dealt with without a grant. The same goes for assets held jointly that pass automatically to the surviving joint owner. Property in the deceased’s sole name, larger bank balances and investments usually need one. Aaron can tell you quickly, at no cost, whether probate is needed in your case.
Read the guide: Do you need probate? When it is required and when it isn't
Do you charge a percentage of the estate?
No. Many firms and banks charge probate fees as a percentage of the estate, which can run into thousands of pounds for no extra work. Aaron charges a fixed fee agreed before he starts, based on the work involved, so more of the inheritance stays with the family.
Read the guide: Fixed fee vs hourly probate: how to compare solicitor quotes
Do you charge a percentage of the estate?
No. Many firms and banks charge probate fees as a percentage of the estate, which can run into thousands of pounds for no extra work. Aaron charges a fixed fee agreed before he starts, based on the work involved, so more of the inheritance stays with the family.
Read the guide: Fixed fee vs hourly probate: how to compare solicitor quotes
How long does probate take?
A straightforward estate usually takes six to nine months from start to finish. Where there is a property to sell, a full inheritance tax account or no will, allow nine to fourteen months. GOV.UK says the grant itself usually arrives within 12 weeks of the application. Collecting in the assets, settling any inheritance tax and distributing the estate take the rest of the time. A dispute adds more. Aaron gives you a realistic timeline for your estate.
Read the guide: How long does probate take? Realistic timelines for East Yorkshire families
How long does probate take?
A straightforward estate usually takes six to nine months from start to finish. Where there is a property to sell, a full inheritance tax account or no will, allow nine to fourteen months. GOV.UK says the grant itself usually arrives within 12 weeks of the application. Collecting in the assets, settling any inheritance tax and distributing the estate take the rest of the time. A dispute adds more. Aaron gives you a realistic timeline for your estate.
Read the guide: How long does probate take? Realistic timelines for East Yorkshire families
Can you help with inheritance tax?
Yes. Aaron prepares and submits the inheritance tax account himself, including the full IHT400 where it is needed. He claims every allowance available, so the estate pays no more tax than it has to. These include the nil-rate band, and the residence nil-rate band where the home passes to children or grandchildren. They also include any unused allowance transferred from a late spouse or civil partner.
Can you help with inheritance tax?
Yes. Aaron prepares and submits the inheritance tax account himself, including the full IHT400 where it is needed. He claims every allowance available, so the estate pays no more tax than it has to. These include the nil-rate band, and the residence nil-rate band where the home passes to children or grandchildren. They also include any unused allowance transferred from a late spouse or civil partner.
What is the first thing to do after a death?
In the first days the practical steps come first. Register the death, get the death certificate, and find the will if there is one. There is no need to rush into legal steps while you are grieving. When you are ready, a free 15-minute call tells you whether probate is needed and what happens next. Aaron can then take the administration off your hands.
Read the guide: What to do when someone dies: a step-by-step checklist
What is the first thing to do after a death?
In the first days the practical steps come first. Register the death, get the death certificate, and find the will if there is one. There is no need to rush into legal steps while you are grieving. When you are ready, a free 15-minute call tells you whether probate is needed and what happens next. Aaron can then take the administration off your hands.
Read the guide: What to do when someone dies: a step-by-step checklist
Home visits
Where Aaron works.
Home visits across East and North Yorkshire.
Aaron comes to you for probate: kitchen table, care home, farm office. Evening appointments if daytimes are hard. No travel charge anywhere on the map.
Probate in Bridlington and the towns around it.
Aaron is based in Bridlington, and the town has its own page for this work: probate solicitor in Bridlington, with what tends to come up locally, the two town questions and how a home visit is arranged.
The same service, on its own page, for the towns nearest Bridlington: Carnaby, Boynton, Flamborough and Bempton. Every town and village Aaron comes to is on the areas page.
Where Aaron works.
Home visits across East and North Yorkshire.
Aaron comes to you for probate: kitchen table, care home, farm office. Evening appointments if daytimes are hard. No travel charge anywhere on the map.
Probate in Bridlington and the towns around it.
Aaron is based in Bridlington, and the town has its own page for this work: probate solicitor in Bridlington, with what tends to come up locally, the two town questions and how a home visit is arranged.
The same service, on its own page, for the towns nearest Bridlington: Carnaby, Boynton, Flamborough and Bempton. Every town and village Aaron comes to is on the areas page.
Next step
Ready when you are.
- Get your price
- Talk to AaronCall, or book a free 15-minute call.
- Send your detailsFill in the questionnaire online. Aaron reads it before you speak.
Sixty seconds of questions that end on your plan 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.