Probate & Estate Administration
Helping you navigate probate and estate administration with confidence and peace of mind.
Supporting You Through a Difficult Time
Losing a loved one is never easy. Alongside coping with bereavement, you may find yourself responsible for dealing with their financial and legal affairs.
At Heyford Solicitors, we provide clear, practical support to help you navigate the probate process with confidence. Whether you simply need assistance obtaining the Grant of Probate or would prefer us to manage the entire administration of the estate, we are here to help.
Which Service Is Right for You?
| Service features and fees | Grant-only serviceProbate or Letters of Administration | Full estate administrationFrom application to distribution |
|---|---|---|
| Prepare the probate application | We handle this | We handle this |
| Deal with HMRC and the Probate Registry | We handle this | We handle this |
| Obtain the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration | We handle this | We handle this |
| Deal with banks and financial institutions, and collect estate assets | You handle this | We handle this |
| Settle debts and liabilities | You handle this | We handle this |
| Prepare estate accounts | You handle this | We handle this |
| Distribute assets to beneficiaries | You handle this | We handle this |
| Manage the estate administration from start to finish | Not included | We handle this |
| Ongoing support throughout the administration | Limited support available | Included throughout |
| Fees | Legal fees start from £2,500 + VAT. Third-party costs are additional; see below. | A quotation will be provided following an initial consultation. Third-party costs are additional; see below. |
Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration only
For many families, the first step is obtaining the legal authority needed to deal with the deceased's assets.
If there is a Will, this is known as a Grant of Probate. If there is no valid Will, an application is usually made for Letters of Administration.
We can assist with:
- Valuing the estate for probate purposes
- Preparing inheritance tax forms where required
- Preparing and submitting the probate application
- Corresponding with HMRC and the Probate Registry
- Obtaining the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration
Fees
Legal fees from £2,500 + VAT. Third-party costs are additional.
The exact fee will depend on the information available, the nature of the estate and whether inheritance tax forms are required.
Where executors or administrators are able to provide valuations of the deceased's assets and liabilities as at the date of death, this can often reduce the amount of work required and help keep our fees to a minimum.
Examples of information that may assist include date-of-death balances provided by banks and building societies, investment portfolio valuations, pension statements, life policy valuations and estate agent market appraisals for residential property.
Where additional or specialist valuations are required, we will discuss this with you and explain any associated costs.
This service may be suitable if you are comfortable dealing with the administration of the estate yourself once the Grant has been obtained.
Please note: Once the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration has been obtained, responsibility for administering the estate remains with the executor or administrator unless we are instructed to undertake further work.
Full Estate Administration
If you would prefer professional support throughout the process, we can administer the estate on your behalf from start to finish.
Our service can include:
- Obtaining the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration
- Contacting banks, building societies and investment providers
- Collecting and administering estate assets
- Settling debts and liabilities
- Preparing estate accounts
- Distributing assets to beneficiaries
- Ongoing advice and support throughout the administration
Fees
Every estate is unique and the amount of work involved can vary considerably. Following an initial consultation, we will discuss the estate, explain the options available and provide a clear quotation based on the support you require.
Wherever possible, we will offer a fixed fee, giving you peace of mind and certainty about costs.
Fees may increase where an estate involves numerous assets or beneficiaries, incomplete records, tracing beneficiaries or establishing entitlement without a valid Will, business interests, specialist valuations, additional inheritance tax work or HMRC enquiries. We agree initial costs in writing. Before undertaking additional work, we agree its scope and a revised quotation with you, either on a fixed-fee basis or at the solicitor’s hourly rate of £295 + VAT.
Why Choose Full Estate Administration?
Many clients choose this service because it:
- Reduces the burden at an already difficult time
- Ensures the estate is administered correctly
- Provides peace of mind for executors and beneficiaries
- Removes the need to deal with lengthy correspondence and paperwork
- Gives you access to professional guidance throughout the process
Service scope and exclusions
The Grant-only service ends when the Grant is obtained; collecting assets, paying liabilities, preparing estate accounts and distributing the estate are not included unless separately agreed.
The Full Estate Administration service includes the stages described above within the agreed scope.
We do not provide accountancy, estate agency, conveyancing or specialist valuation services. Where required, these services are provided by independent professionals whose charges are separate from our legal fees.
Key Stages of the Probate Process
The precise steps will depend on the circumstances of the estate, but the administration process commonly includes:
- Gathering information about the deceased's assets and liabilities.
- Valuing the estate.
- Preparing any required inheritance tax forms.
- Applying for the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration.
- Collecting estate assets.
- Settling debts and liabilities.
- Preparing estate accounts — (a financial summary showing the estate’s assets, money received, debts, taxes and expenses paid, and the amount available for distribution to each beneficiary).
- Distributing the estate to beneficiaries.
We will explain which stages apply to your circumstances and keep you informed throughout the process.
Typical Timescales
The time required to administer an estate will depend on its size and complexity.
Grant-only service: Where a full inheritance tax return is required, it must be submitted to HMRC before the probate application can be made. HMRC will then issue a unique code needed to submit the application. Issuing this code can take 20 working days. Our Grant-only service typically therefore takes approximately 4–6 months from instruction to obtaining the Grant.
Where a paper application is required, the process may take longer than six months. Paper applications are usually required when applying for Letters of Administration.
Full estate administration includes the Grant stage above: The process can take anywhere from 10 to 18 months from instruction to final distribution, depending on the complexity of the estate. After obtaining the Grant, we collect assets, settle liabilities and tax, prepare estate accounts and distribute the estate to beneficiaries. Property sales, tax enquiries and difficult-to-realise assets may extend these timescales.
We will discuss likely timescales with you once we understand the circumstances of the estate.
Timescales are estimates only and may vary depending on the complexity of the estate and the response times of third parties, including HMRC, financial institutions and the Probate Registry.
Additional Costs
In addition to our legal fees, there may be some third-party costs that need to be paid during the administration of the estate.
| Third-Party Cost | Typical Cost Range |
|---|---|
| Probate Registry application fee | £526 |
| Additional copies of the Grant | £2 each when ordered with the application |
| Will search fees | £150–£200 plus VAT |
| Financial asset search fees | £150–£250 plus VAT |
| Property or asset valuation fees | Variable depending on the asset and valuer instructed |
| Bankruptcy searches | Approximately £5 - £10 per beneficiary |
| Statutory notices (if required) | Approximately £200–£350 plus VAT |
| Accountancy fees (where tax returns are required) | Variable depending on the work required |
| Estate agency fees | Variable depending on the property and agent instructed |
| Conveyancing fees | Variable depending on the property and transaction involved |
Probate Registry fees and other third-party costs are payable separately from our legal fees.
We will explain any anticipated third-party costs at the outset and keep you informed of any additional costs that arise during the administration of the estate.
Important Note
The figures above are intended as a guide only and may vary depending on the circumstances of the estate. We will discuss any anticipated third-party costs with you before they are incurred.
Tax Advice
As part of the estate administration process, we can advise on inheritance tax and capital gains tax issues that arise during the administration of the estate.
If formal tax returns are required, these will normally need to be prepared and submitted by an accountant. Any accountant's fees will be separate from our legal fees.
If accountancy assistance is required, we can work alongside your existing accountant or recommend an independent accountant to assist.
Who Will Handle Your Matter?
Your matter will be handled by Sofia Galic, a solicitor with more than 18 years' experience advising clients on wills, probate and estate administration.
You will have direct contact with the solicitor handling your matter throughout the process.
Pricing Information
Please note: Every estate is different. Our published legal fees exclude VAT, which is payable in addition at 20%. Third-party costs are payable separately, with VAT added where applicable. Before work begins, we provide a written quotation setting out the agreed scope, assumptions, legal fees, VAT and anticipated additional costs. We keep you informed of any changes throughout the administration.
Free 30-Minute Consultation
Not sure which service is right for you?
We offer a free 30-minute consultation by telephone or Microsoft Teams to discuss the estate, answer your questions and explain the options available.
- Free 30-minute consultation
- Telephone or Microsoft Teams appointment
- Clear, practical advice
- No obligation to proceed
Book a free consultation
Tell us a little about what you need and we will contact you to arrange a free 30-minute consultation by telephone or Microsoft Teams.