Applying for Probate
How to apply for a grant of probate or letters of administration in England and Wales — forms PA1P/PA1A, the £526 fee, Inheritance Tax steps and timescales.
Quick answer
To get probate in England and Wales, first value the estate and report it to HMRC — if Inheritance Tax is owed you must report within one year on form IHT400 and normally start paying before the grant is issued (tax is due by the end of the sixth month after death to avoid interest). Then apply online or by post using form PA1P if there is a will, or PA1A if there is not. The application fee is £526 for estates over £5,000 and nothing for estates of £5,000 or less, and the grant usually arrives within 12 weeks of submitting. Once issued, send copies of the probate document to banks and other asset holders, pay the estate's debts and taxes, then distribute what remains under the will or the intestacy rules.
ਸੰਖੇਪ ਜਾਣਕਾਰੀ
Probate is the legal right to deal with someone's property, money and possessions (their 'estate') when they die. You do not always need it — money or property owned jointly usually passes automatically to the surviving owners, and some estates consisting only of savings can be dealt with without a grant. If there is a will, the executors named in it apply for a grant of probate; if there is no will, the closest living relative applies for letters of administration. Inheritance Tax must be reported to HMRC — and normally part-paid — before the grant is issued.
ਇਹ ਪ੍ਰਕਿਰਿਆ ਕੌਣ ਵਰਤ ਸਕਦਾ ਹੈ
- There is a will and you are an executor named in it, or
- There is no will and you are the closest living relative of the person who died
- The estate includes assets that need a grant to be released (for example property or accounts in the deceased's sole name)
- Where required, the estate's value has been reported to HMRC before you apply
ਕਦਮ-ਦਰ-ਕਦਮ ਪ੍ਰਕਿਰਿਆ
Check whether probate is actually needed
Probate gives you the legal right to deal with the deceased person's estate, but not every estate needs it. GOV.UK explains you may not need probate if the person only had savings, owned shares or money jointly with others (these pass automatically to the surviving owners unless agreed otherwise), or owned land or property as 'joint tenants', which also passes automatically to the surviving owners.
- Contact each bank or asset holder and ask whether they require a grant before releasing funds
- Property held as 'tenants in common' does not pass automatically — the deceased's share usually needs a grant
Confirm who should apply
If there is a will, the executors named in it can apply for a grant of probate. If there is no will, the closest living relative can apply — the grant issued is called letters of administration and the estate is distributed under the intestacy rules rather than a will.
- Locate the original will early — you will need it for a PA1P application
- If an executor does not want to act, they can renounce or reserve their power
Value the estate and report to HMRC
Before applying you must estimate the value of the estate to find out if there is Inheritance Tax to pay: identify the person's assets and debts such as savings, investments, mortgages and loans, then estimate the estate's value. If the estate owes Inheritance Tax, you must report its value within one year using form IHT400, giving full details of the estate's assets and debts, any gifts made, and any reliefs and exemptions. You cannot apply for probate until you have done this.
- Excepted estates with no tax to pay have a simpler reporting route — check before completing IHT400
- Keep written valuations (property, shares, personal items) with the estate papers
Start paying any Inheritance Tax
You will normally have to start paying Inheritance Tax before probate is granted. Tax must be paid by the end of the sixth month after the person dies to avoid paying interest. After submitting the IHT400 you wait for HMRC to send you a unique code, which you need for the probate application.
- Diarise the six-month deadline as soon as the death is registered — interest runs automatically after it
- Do not wait for the grant to arrange payment: probate normally follows the tax, not the other way round
Apply online or by post (PA1P / PA1A)
You can apply for probate yourself online or by post — GOV.UK notes this can be cheaper than paying a probate practitioner. Online applications go through the apply-for-probate service; postal applicants fill in application form PA1P if there is a will, or form PA1A if there is not. It takes longer to process paper applications than online applications.
- Apply online where possible — paper applications are slower
- Have the original will, the death certificate and your HMRC code (if IHT was payable) ready
Pay the application fee
If the value of the estate is over £5,000, the application fee is £526. There is no fee if the estate is £5,000 or less. You can order extra copies of the probate document for £2 each when you submit your application — copies ordered later cost £16 each. If you have a low income or are on certain benefits you may be able to get help paying the fee, online or using form EX160.
- Order enough sealed copies at £2 each up front — one per bank or institution saves time later
- Help with Fees does not cover the cost of extra copies
Wait for the grant
You'll usually get the grant of probate or letters of administration within 12 weeks of submitting your application. It can take longer if you need to provide additional information. Do not make financial plans or put property on the market until you have the grant.
Collect the assets, pay debts and distribute the estate
Once you have the grant of probate (or letters of administration) you can start dealing with the estate. Send copies of the probate document to organisations that hold the assets of the person who died, for example their bank. Pay any debts or taxes owed by the person who died — you can then distribute the estate as set out in the will or, if there is no will, as the law directs.
- Keep full estate accounts showing everything collected, paid out and distributed
- Settle debts and taxes before distributing to beneficiaries
ਖਰਚੇ
ਮਹੱਤਵਪੂਰਨ ਚੇਤਾਵਨੀਆਂ
Do not make financial plans or put estate property on the market until you have the grant — GOV.UK warns against acting before probate is issued.
You cannot apply for probate until any required Inheritance Tax report has been made to HMRC, and you will normally have to start paying the tax before the grant.
Inheritance Tax unpaid by the end of the sixth month after the death attracts interest.
ਲਾਭਦਾਇਕ ਲਿੰਕ
Frequently asked questions
- Do I always need probate?
- No. Probate is the legal right to deal with someone's estate, but GOV.UK says you may not need it if the person only had savings, or owned shares, money, land or property jointly — assets held with others as 'joint tenants' pass automatically to the surviving owners. Check with each bank or asset holder whether they require a grant before releasing funds.
- How much does probate cost in 2026?
- The application fee is £526 if the value of the estate is over £5,000, and there is no fee if the estate is £5,000 or less. Extra copies of the probate document cost £2 each when ordered with the application (£16 each later). If you have a low income or are on certain benefits you may be able to get help paying the fee, online or using form EX160.
- How long does probate take?
- You'll usually get the grant of probate or letters of administration within 12 weeks of submitting your application, and it can take longer if you need to provide additional information. Paper applications take longer to process than online ones.
- Do I have to deal with Inheritance Tax before applying?
- Yes. If the estate owes Inheritance Tax you must report its value within one year using form IHT400, and you cannot apply for probate until you have done this. You will normally have to start paying Inheritance Tax before probate is granted, and tax must be paid by the end of the sixth month after the death to avoid interest.
- What happens if there is no will?
- The closest living relative can apply, using form PA1A (or online). The grant issued is called letters of administration, and after debts and taxes are paid the estate is distributed as the law directs under the intestacy rules rather than under a will.
- Can I apply without a solicitor?
- Yes — GOV.UK states you can apply for probate yourself online or by post, and that this can be cheaper than paying a probate practitioner. Professional help is worth considering for taxable, insolvent or disputed estates.