In the spring budget in March, the government proposed to dramatically raise probate fees. The current fee is £215 (or £155 if done by a solicitor). The proposals would have seen fees on a sliding scale of £300 to £20,000, based on the estate’s value.
The news of the proposals was met with concern from solicitors, members of the public and the Law Society of England and Wales. In fact, over 97% of people who responded to the consultation on the proposed fee hike argued against the increases.
Last week, however, the Ministry of Justice announced that it will be dropping the probate fee hike as the snap general election leaves too little time to pass the legislation. These are not the only controversial proposals that have been dropped as a result of the upcoming election; the proposed reforms to personal injury claims were also shelved last week. It remains to be seen whether our next government reignites any of these proposals and we will keep you updated.
If you have any queries in relation the granting of probate or the related fees, our wills and probate team can help. Contact us today on 0800 988 7756 for a free consultation.
