The probate process
How to Apply for Probate in England and Wales: a Step-by-Step Guide
Applying for Probate in England and Wales involves a defined sequence of steps. Understanding the full process before you begin helps you plan what information you need and in what order.
Step 1: Register the death
Register with the local registrar within five days. Order several certified copies of the death certificate. Ask about the Tell Us Once service to notify government agencies simultaneously.
Step 2: Locate the Will
Search thoroughly for the original Will. Check the deceased’s home, their solicitor, their bank, and the National Will Register. If no Will is found, the estate is treated as intestate.
Step 3: Value the estate
Contact every bank, building society, investment platform, pension provider, and insurer for date-of-death valuations. Arrange a property valuation. Identify all outstanding debts. The net estate value determines whether IHT may be due.
Step 4: Complete the HMRC Inheritance Tax return, if needed
If the estate is not an excepted estate, the IHT400 must be sent to HMRC before the Probate application. Do not assume an estate is excepted just because no Inheritance Tax is due. Once HMRC processes the IHT400, they send a unique Probate code, by letter, or by email if you chose to receive it that way, and the code is entered on the Probate application. Most estates are excepted estates and need no Inheritance Tax forms at all. YouCanDoProbate works out whether the estate is excepted, and completes the IHT400 and all supplementary schedules automatically where they are needed.
Step 5: Submit the Probate application
Use form PA1P (with a Will) or PA1A (without a Will), submitted with the original Will, death certificate, and the £526 application fee. Order additional official copies of the Grant at £2 each.
Step 6: Receive the Grant and administer the estate
Present the Grant to financial institutions. Place a Statutory Notice for Creditors in The Gazette. Obtain HMRC tax clearance. Pay all debts and expenses. Distribute the estate to Beneficiaries. Draw up estate accounts.
The easy and affordable way to apply for probate
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Very easy to follow step by step instructions
I found this service was very easy to use and straightforward. I have given it a 5 star rating and I would recommend it. I telephoned the helpline twice and was extremely happy with the help/guidence I received.
From my first call to YouCanDoProbate I felt confident in the help I would receive throughout the process of applying for grant of probate for my mum’s estate. The HMRC forms are not complicated but having access to support and having confirmation that no tax is due and that you have declared everything correctly, is very reassuring. It is worth the money for peace of mind and cost much less than hiring a solicitor
Looked carefully at online support for undertaking probate and decided to use this company due to the consistently high Trustpilot feedback. It did not disappoint. The process is easy to follow, excellent support documentation and I made use of the Support telephone service once – which was prompt and helpful.
So easy, why would you use a solicitor?!
My wife died recently and left £130K in ISA’s and savings. I was stimulated to try You Can Do Probate by a solicitor’s quote of £4000 to do the same! Idid this online with the assistance of one of my daughters. The process was well explained, methodical and easy to follow. I submitted all documentation to the Probate Office on 27 Sept. The acid test is whether or not is accepted by that office. I’ll let you know.
Title : I cannot recommend YouCanDoProbate more for a dedicated and high quality service ! When I first registered with YouCanDoProbate I was dubious: as it was an on-line format and I am incredibly poor with anything electronic, but I need not have worried. As soon as I sent a pleas for help my emails were answered and followed up with a phone call from Tom or Adam on the same day, and often within an hour ! They both had lots of patience and understood my concerns (which were really minor issues !) I was never felt to feel foolish and always treated with respect and professionalism. I had recently helped my brother to obtain probate when his wife passed away, and he paid thousands of pounds to a Solicitor for much less than I have had to do with my case. I only hope my application is accepted, and I now have substantial records to refer to regarding the estate due to this process.
Was dubious at first but after messaging a couple of queries and receiving replies almost immediately I purchased the software process and it was amazingly easy would definitely recommend
Easy to use , never needed to contact them , awaiting the grant but confident having used you can do probate I’m not expecting mistakes
To significantly reduce the cost of using a solicitor to do probate for my late mother; we decided to attempt probate ourselves. The platform was excellent and made what could be a difficult task, very manageable. The information required would have to be given to the solicitor, so it didn’t feel challenging inputting it ourselves (although her estate was relatively straight forward). It was great having support at the end of the phone. We had a couple of queries, which were responded to quickly and well. We were so impressed with the clear instructions at each stage and how the relevant forms were automatically generated for both HMRC and subsequently for probate. From starting to input data to gaining grant of probate took us 8 weeks! Would highly recommend.
Simple, well laid out, easy to complete. Sent off 4 weeks later received notice its been accepted and probate granted, saved thousands on using a solicitor.
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