For executors and families in England and Wales
Probate checklist: what to do, step by step
I'm sorry you're dealing with this. Answer up to 8 short questions and you'll get a plan for this week and the months after: whether you need probate, how to apply, the fee and a rough Inheritance Tax estimate. It's free and nothing you pick is stored.
Guidance, not legal advice. Based on GOV.UK, checked November 2026.
Question 1 of 7
The key numbers
| Probate application fee | £526 (no fee if the estate is £5,000 or less) |
|---|---|
| Extra official copies | £2 each when you apply, £16 each later |
| Usual wait for the grant | Up to 12 weeks |
| Inheritance Tax threshold | £325,000 per person |
| Extra allowance for a home | Up to £175,000, if it goes to children or grandchildren |
| Inheritance Tax rate | 40% above the threshold |
| Pay Inheritance Tax by | End of the sixth month after the death |
| Send IHT400 (if needed) by | 12 months after the death, and before applying |
Sources: probate fees, Inheritance Tax thresholds, valuing the estate on GOV.UK.
When to get a solicitor
Many people apply themselves, and it can cost much less. It's worth paying a solicitor or probate practitioner when:
- Someone disputes the will, who inherits, or who should apply
- The will is lost, unclear or handwritten, or there may be a later one
- The estate may owe more than it owns
- There is a business, farm, trust or property abroad
- Inheritance Tax is due and the estate is complicated, or large gifts were made in the last 7 years
- A beneficiary is under 18 or lacks mental capacity
- You simply don’t have the time or energy. That’s a good reason too.
Coming soon: an estate organiser
The checklist is the easy part. The months after are letters, phone calls and keeping track. We're building something to hold it all:
- One list of every account, policy and debt, with what you’ve heard back from each
- Ready-to-send letters to banks, pension providers and utilities
- Estate accounts that add up, ready for the beneficiaries
- Share it with family, so everyone can see where things are
Questions executors ask
How do I apply for probate in England and Wales?
Value the estate, check whether Inheritance Tax is due (and send form IHT400 to HMRC if full details are needed), then apply on GOV.UK. You can apply online, which is faster, or by post with form PA1P if there is a will or PA1A if there is not.
How much does probate cost?
The GOV.UK application fee is £526 if the estate is worth more than £5,000, and nothing if it is £5,000 or less. Extra official copies cost £2 each when you apply, or £16 each later. Help with fees is available on a low income or certain benefits.
Do I always need probate?
No. You may not need it if the person only had savings, or owned money or property jointly as joint tenants, which passes to the surviving owner. A house or flat in their sole name almost always needs it. Each bank or provider decides what it needs, so ask them.
How long does probate take?
You will usually get the grant within 12 weeks of applying, longer if more information is needed or you apply by post. Valuing the estate before you apply can take several months.
What is the Inheritance Tax threshold?
£325,000 per person, plus up to £175,000 more if a home goes to children or grandchildren and the estate is under £2,000,000. A husband, wife or civil partner can pass on what they didn’t use, so a couple can leave up to £1 million tax free. Tax above the threshold is 40%.
What is an excepted estate?
An estate that has no Inheritance Tax to pay and doesn’t need full details sent to HMRC. Usually that is one worth under £325,000, one worth £650,000 or less where a late spouse’s unused threshold is transferred, or one left to a spouse, civil partner or charity worth under £3,000,000. Most estates are excepted.
When must Inheritance Tax be paid?
By the end of the sixth month after the death, or HMRC charges interest. Form IHT400 must go in within 12 months, and before you apply for probate. You normally pay some of the tax before probate is granted.
How many executors can apply?
Up to 4 can be named on the application. Online, one is the lead applicant and the others sign the legal declaration from a link sent by email and text. An executor who doesn’t want to act can hold “power reserved” or give up the role with form PA15.
Who applies if there is no will?
The closest living relative, normally the husband, wife or civil partner, then any children aged 18 or over. They apply for “letters of administration”. Unmarried partners can’t apply.
Is this legal advice?
No. It is general guidance based on GOV.UK, to help you see the steps. For anything disputed, complicated or high value, speak to a solicitor or probate practitioner.