Help paying the probate fee

Last reviewed 18 August 2026

The £526 fee, payable before the grant, can fall hard on an executor of modest means settling a modest estate — and for them the courts provide a measure of relief.

The Help with Fees scheme

The Help with Fees scheme (form EX160) can reduce or waive the £526 probate application fee for applicants on a low income or certain means-tested benefits. Eligibility depends on income, savings and benefits, and is assessed against published thresholds. You apply for the remission at the same time as the probate application; if granted, you pay less, or nothing.

Where the fee comes from otherwise

Remember that the fee is, in principle, an expense of the estate, recoverable from it once funds are released — and that estates of £5,000 or less pay nothing in any case. Where cash is short before the grant, some banks will release funds to meet estate expenses, and the funeral can usually be paid directly. Check the current EX160 thresholds before applying, as they are reviewed periodically.

Sources. GOV.UK, Help with Fees (EX160); GOV.UK, Applying for probate: fees. EX160 income/savings thresholds to be confirmed at build.