Fixed fee vs percentage of the estate

Last reviewed 18 August 2026

Two ways of pricing the same work can produce wildly different bills, and the difference between them is one of the few decisions an executor makes that turns purely on arithmetic.

The two models

A fixed fee is agreed in advance and does not move with the size of the estate — predictable, and usually the executor’s friend. A percentage charge (common for banks and some firms) takes a slice of the estate’s value, often 1–4%. The work involved in administering a £300,000 estate and a £900,000 one is frequently similar; the percentage bill is not.

When each wins

For a large, straightforward estate, a fixed fee almost always costs less. A percentage may look competitive on a small estate, or where the work is genuinely heavy and open-ended. The rule of thumb: the bigger and simpler the estate, the more a fixed fee saves. Ask for both, in writing, and compare.

Sources. SRA transparency rules; standard fixed-fee and percentage models across firms and professional executors.