Costs and fees
The Truth About Fixed Price Probate
If you have been searching for Probate help, you will have noticed a wave of providers advertising “fixed price Probate.” It sounds simple and reassuring. But the reality is often more complicated than the marketing suggests. This article looks at what fixed price Probate actually means, where the hidden costs tend to appear, and why a DIY approach with the right support frequently makes more financial sense.
Why does “fixed price” Probate exist?
Traditionally, solicitors charged by the hour for Probate, or took a percentage of the estate value, sometimes 1 to 4% or more. On a £400,000 estate, 2% is £8,000. As more families became aware of how much they were being charged for what is fundamentally an administrative process, pressure grew for more transparent pricing.
“Fixed price” Probate emerged as a response. The problem is that “fixed price” is rarely as fixed as it sounds.
What the advertised price often does not include
Most fixed price Probate services quote a base fee for a straightforward estate. Once you engage with the firm, the price adjusts based on a long list of variables:
- Whether the estate includes property (almost always an additional charge)
- Whether Inheritance Tax forms are required (often treated as an add-on)
- Whether the deceased died without a will
- Whether there are multiple Beneficiaries or disputed claims
- Whether any assets require specialist valuations
Many providers advertise a headline figure of £500 to £800 but routinely issue final invoices in the range of £1,500 to £5,000 once the estate has been assessed. Always ask for a binding quote in writing before committing.
Do you even need a professional Probate service?
For most estates in England and Wales, the honest answer is no. Probate is a structured administrative process, not one requiring specialist qualifications. The forms and calculations are defined by HMRC and the Probate Registry. What they require is accuracy and thoroughness, not a legal qualification.
Some estates genuinely warrant professional help: contested claims, complex trust arrangements, business assets with specialist relief implications, overseas assets. For these situations, a specialist Probate solicitor is worth the cost. But for the great majority of people, a more affordable option is available.
What makes YouCanDoProbate different
YouCanDoProbate charges a single fixed fee of £499 inc. VAT. That is genuinely fixed. There are no add-ons for having a property in the estate, no extra charge for IHT forms, and no percentage of estate value taken. The fee covers the complete PA1P or PA1A application form, the full IHT400 return, every supplementary schedule, all exemption calculations, and unlimited support from our UK-based team.
The only costs on top are the government fees: £526 to the Probate Registry and £2 per official copy of the Grant you need.
The easy and affordable way to apply for probate
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i had talked to a solicitor to do the probate, he wanted 1 to 5 % of the value of the house approx £4,000 to £20,000 pounds then i found youcandoprobate.co.uk online, for £325 so instead of telling the high cost solicitor all the details he needed to know, i just wrote them same details on the online forms, and any questions i had were only a phone call away and each question was answered. as you go through the online forms every thing is worked out for you and you print the forms off at the end and send them off. this as an excellent service and have no hesitation in recommending them, they are brilliant
Ease of use , consideration and understanding, knowledge of the system , made it as easy as possible
I can’t thank my Advisor, Tom, more for all his patience and help. He has guided me every step of the way and I’m thrilled with the results of this excellent service.
Made probate very easy
Probably like so many, probate can be a little daunting once you start to look into it, so I did a little google search and came across YouCanDoProbate. Initially I was suspect, you have to be, but carrying out my own research everything came back good, so gave them a call. I can honestly say they are so so helpful and there online forms make the process so simple with the added benefit of having someone available (an actual person) should you need to either question something or looking for advise. The whole process to less thank 4 hours (with a few queries). All the forms, you actually need, are then printed off for you and or other executors to sign. Today, two and a half weeks since they were sent in, I received an email stating probate has been approved – wow. I’m so glad I went down this route, it removed so much headache and worry and I cannot recommend this service highly, hence 5 stars from me. Maybe the government should use the same platform, oh and lets not forget about the cost if you opt to use a solicitor, £499 to complete the forms and then another £300 for the court applcation/certification
“Does exactly what it says on the tin” I have Absolutely no legal experience and had never done probate before and I found this was a brilliant tool to get the job done. I was going to be charged over £7,000 by a solicitor and the irony is that all the data that you would need to send the solicitor is exactly the same data you need to complete the probate application yourself. Loved this software and saved an absolute fortune!!!!!
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.
Very good takes you through all steps. Don’t need solicitors
Excellent solution Easy no nonsense approach to take you through the process
Easy to do. Help always available. And it costs a lot less than solicitors. Excellent service.
YouCanDoProbate was great and took you carefully through all the questions & areas that are needed to complete and submit Probate forms and calculate any IHT payable. It may seem a daunting task, but taking it one section at a time, I was able to complete and obtain probate saving thousands in Solicitors fees. Most of the information you are going to have to obtain yourself, even if using a Solicitor.
I can’t rate YouCanDoProbate more highly. The estate I was dealing with was quite complicated and using a solicitor would have cost thousands. The team talked me through every step and made it easy and simple to complete probate. Any questions I had were answered straight away and I found it all incredibly straightforward and simple to use. This is worth every penny.
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