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Wills and intestacy

What is a Will, and Why Does it Matter for Probate?

A Will is a legal document in which a person sets out their wishes for how their estate should be managed and distributed after their death. It names the Executor(s) responsible for carrying out those wishes and identifies who should receive what.

What makes a Will valid?

  • It must be in writing
  • It must be signed by the person making the Will in the presence of two independent witnesses, both present at the same time
  • Both witnesses must sign in the presence of the testator

The witnesses must be independent. A Beneficiary (or their spouse or civil partner) cannot validly witness the Will without risking their gift.

Why does it matter for Probate?

With a valid Will, an Executor applies for a Grant of Probate and distributes the estate in accordance with the Will’s instructions. Without a valid Will, the estate is intestate, a relative applies for Letters of Administration, and the estate is distributed according to the Rules of Intestacy, which may not reflect the deceased’s wishes.

Finding the original Will

The original Will (not a copy) must be submitted to the Probate Registry. Check the deceased’s home, contact their solicitor, search the National Will Register (Certainty.co.uk), and check whether the Will was deposited with the Probate Service. YouCanDoProbate handles Probate both with and without a Will.

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Trustpilot five star rating
Very good takes you through all steps

Very good takes you through all steps. Don’t need solicitors

sd
Trustpilot five star rating
help when u need it at a difficult time.

Adam and co were helpfull,sympathetic and very knowleagable .made the process a lot easier . worth the money. thanks

jon lucas
Trustpilot five star rating
I’m never one for leaving reviews

I’m never one for leaving reviews, but this service genuinely deserves the 5* review I’m giving it. I completed the probate application with my Mum shortly after my Dad’s passing. My Mum had been quoted thousands of £s to do this on her behalf, which I felt was unreasonable. After a quick Google I found this website and suggested it to my Mum. She was sceptical at first so I offered to help, and having completed the intuitive online process with her, she quickly told me she could have done it herself! It’s not a nice thing to deal with, particularly at such a difficult time, but I couldn’t recommend this highly enough. It genuinely works and we have just received our letters of administration.

Joe Wilkinson
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Easier to complete than I initially…

Easier to complete than I initially thought.

Lynn Wasnidge
Trustpilot five star rating
This service was an absolute Godsend

This service was an absolute Godsend! Faced with the daunting task of applying for probate after my Father’s death I was completely bamboozled by the number of forms and which ones were relevant. YouCanDoProbate made the whole process simple and easy to understand with advice and reassurance on hand at every step of the way. It was a very reasonable cost for an invaluable service. I would absolutely recommend this product.

Karen White
Trustpilot five star rating
spot on

spot on. thanks.

Joe Pappy Dixon
Trustpilot five star rating
Outstanding product

I used this platform to complete my father’s HMRC and probate registry applications. The process was clear, straightforward, and easy to follow. I only needed to contact the company once for clarification, and they were very helpful. The platform guides you through questions about assets, gifts, and other estate details, then automatically populates the relevant HMRC and probate forms. It also provides the completed forms ready for printing and submission. Everything was accepted without issue, and probate was granted around eight weeks after submission. As a layperson, I found this service invaluable. It saved me thousands of pounds in legal fees, and I would highly recommend it to anyone handling probate for the first time

Simon Day
Trustpilot five star rating
I would highly recommend this service

I would highly recommend this service, they go above and beyond to make sure you understand and can complete, they take away any hassle or concern, would give more than 5 stars if I could

Caroline Howe
Trustpilot five star rating
Excellent package

Excellent package easy to follow and good help service if needed – probate obtained in six weeks – thankyou

mark
Trustpilot five star rating
Supportive staff team. Confidence.

The staff team were supportive and return calls were reasonably prompt, its important to account for other customers feeling swamped by the experience too. The online forms were clear and the finance running totals displayed at the top of the form so calculations are as exact to the info you put in to the form. I liked the fact that I felt more confident in completing probate, that I did not feel silly when asking questions. The team are respectful and account for the emotional situation you fnd yourself in.

Betty Tuur
Trustpilot five star rating
YouCanDoProbate helped me out so much

YouCanDoProbate helped me out so much. I was really struggling with all the questions & forms before I found it. It makes everything SO much easier and guides you through the process with all the information you need and you can ask questions. I would definitely recommend to anyone who is trying to do Probate themselves.

Julia Holt
Trustpilot five star rating
Straightforward and easy to use

Straightforward and easy to use, I’d recommend this to anyone. I’ve had to apply for probate on an estate with various investments, property and outstanding tax. I entered all information over a couple of days, prompted by they software. I think it would be hard to go wrong. I had questions answered very quickly either by phone or email. There was a slight glitch which resulted in incorrect tax form generation. I sent a query in on a service ticket and got a phone call over a weekend that resolved everything. My IHT400 and Probate were accepted and granted straight away. Providing you have all information about the estate to hand, this makes it very easy. Well worth the money. Thanks.

David Glover
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Additional costs: The probate registry fee of £526 (for all estates over £5,000) and any additional official copies at £2 each. (Payable directly to HM Courts and Tribunals Service by cheque or postal order, enclosed with your application forms).
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© YouCanDoProbate • YouCanDoProbate is a trading name of Kabing Ltd.
YouCanDoProbate is not a law firm, is not authorised to conduct reserved legal activities, and is not regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). Our digital service is a self-help online platform for you to input data, navigate forms, and manage your own inheritance tax returns and probate applications as a lay applicant. It provides administrative utility tools, forms, and general information. Our telephone, email, support ticket, and live chat support provide administrative and technical guidance only. We do not provide legal, estate planning, or tax advice, and our service is not a substitute for a regulated professional’s advice regarding complex estate or tax matters.
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