By this we mean the collection and distribution of money, property and other assets belonging to a person following their death, where these are within the UK and the matters are not contested.

The exact cost will depend on the individual circumstances of the matter, but please click on the following link for a table of our estimate fees: Uncontested Probate Indicative Fees

For example, if there is one beneficiary and no property, costs will be at the lower end of the range. If there are multiple beneficiaries, a property and multiple bank accounts, costs will be at the higher end.

There will also be Disbursements payable in addition to the above.  Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as Probate Registry fees, Trustee Act Notices and Bankruptcy searches. These are likely to be in the region of £350. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.

Additional factors which will affect the fees involved

There are a number of issues or additional pieces of work which can arise during or out of estate administration which will incur additional costs and mean the timescale for completion will be affected. If any of these points arise during the course of the matter, we will contact you and agree a costs estimate and give a likely timescale to deal with the issues:

• Investigation into the estate by the Department of Work and Pensions. This is automatic where a deceased person has been in receipt of Pension Credit or any means tested benefit prior to their death;
• Missing beneficiaries;
• Missing assets;
• Problems with overseas assets;
• Complex assets such as publishing or intellectual property rights;
• Disagreements between executors and/or beneficiaries;
• Claims brought against the estate;
• Claims pursued on behalf of the estate to recover assets;
• Complex tax issues;
• Variations or alterations to the terms of the Will, intestacy or any trusts arising under the Will;
• Establishment and administration of an ongoing Will trust;

 How long will this take?

Typically, obtaining the grant of probate takes 8-12 weeks. Collecting assets then follows, which can take between 12-16 weeks but can be longer depending on the individual circumstances. Once this has been done, we can distribute the assets.

Our Team

Our team involved in dealing with uncontested Probate work are made up of Elizabeth Collins (Solicitor and Director), Timothy Halliday (Solicitor and Director), Ellen Brian (Solicitor), Sarah Cann (Paralegal) and Bethan Martin (Paralegal). The team has over 50 years of collective experience in delivering high quality work in all matters relating to uncontested probate matters.

The Law Society Wills and Inheritance Quality Scheme (WIQS)

We are proud that we have been accredited with The Law Society Wills and Inheritance Quality Scheme. This is a best practice quality mark for Wills, inheritance and estate administration advice.

At The Eric Whitehead Partnership, specialist legal advisors in our Probate department help to guide our clients through some of the most challenging periods of their lives.

The best practice quality accreditation is a reminder of our continued hard work and dedication to our clients. If you would like any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us by email at clientcare@ericwhitehead.co.uk or by telephone 01538 755761.