Probate
The legal process of administering the estate of a deceased person. A grant of probate confirms the authority of the executor named in the will to deal with the estate's assets.
Independent editorial summary — not the official statute text. Read the official version on legislation.gov.uk.
GOV.UK guidance defines it directly: 'Probate is the legal right to deal with someone's property, money and possessions (their "estate") when they die.' Because of that, the same guidance warns that you should not make any financial plans or put property on the market until you've got probate.
Who can apply depends on whether there was a will: if there's a will, the executors named in it can apply; if there's not a will, the closest living relative can apply instead. An application can also be challenged before it is granted — the guidance explains that you can challenge an application for probate (known as entering a 'caveat'), for example if there's a dispute about who can apply or whether there's a will at all.
Related terms
Official sources
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