How much does probate cost in the UK?

Last reviewed 18 August 2026

When a person dies, those left to settle the estate confront a single, pressing question before any other: what will this cost? The answer is less fearful than it first appears, provided one distinction is kept clear — the fee fixed by the Crown, which everyone pays and which is published to the penny, and the professional charges, which vary, and which are often optional altogether.

“There is nothing which so generally strikes the imagination, and engages the affections of mankind, as the right of property.”Sir William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England, 1765

The fixed government fee

In England and Wales the HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) probate application fee is £526 for an estate valued over £5,000, and £0 for an estate of £5,000 or less. This fee rose from £300 on 13 July 2026 — a 75% increase. It is a flat charge: it does not scale with the size of the estate.

Additional sealed copies of the grant, useful for dealing with several banks at once, cost £2 each when ordered with the application (reduced from £16).

The variable professional fees

Beyond the government fee, costs depend on the route you take. A solicitor may charge a fixed fee (commonly £1,500–£3,500 for a straightforward estate), an hourly rate (£200–£400), or a percentage of the estate (typically 1–4%). Under the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s transparency rules, any firm advertising probate services must publish its pricing — so the only accurate figure for your estate is the one a specific firm states. You may also avoid these charges entirely: many estates are administered without a solicitor at all.

A realistic total, by scenario

Rather than an invented “average”, add the components that apply: a simple estate handled yourself costs the £526 fee plus a few £2 copies; an estate using a solicitor adds that firm’s published charge; an estate needing a professional valuation adds the valuer’s fee before probate can even be applied for.

Sources. GOV.UK, Applying for probate: fees; Ministry of Justice, Court and tribunal fees updates (announced 19 June 2026, effective 13 July 2026); Non-Contentious Probate Fees Order 2004 (as amended); SRA transparency rules.