It should take around eight weeks for probate to be granted but it can take longer if there is anything missing or incorrect on the forms. Pay inheritance tax – you may need to take out a loan to do this (as the bill will be due before the assets of the estate are released), so it's worthwhile making arrangements asap.
You'll usually get the grant of probate or letters of administration within 8 weeks of sending in your original documents. It can take longer if you need to provide additional information.
Fortunately, you can track a probate application in the UK. You can do this by searching for the probate case online through the Probate Registry.
Probate timescales will depend on the complexity and size of the estate. If there is a Will in place and the estate is relatively straightforward it can be done within 6 months. If there is no Will or the Estate can not easily be valued or identified then the process may take longer, likely more than 12 months.
Generally speaking, it should take between four weeks and three months to apply for a grant of probate. The amount of time it might take for you depends on a number of factors, including: Whether there is an inventory present within the will. The size and intricacy of the estate.
It should take around eight weeks for probate to be granted but it can take longer if there is anything missing or incorrect on the forms. Pay inheritance tax – you may need to take out a loan to do this (as the bill will be due before the assets of the estate are released), so it's worthwhile making arrangements asap.
Firstly, a search can be carried out on the Government's website at the dedicated Probate records search service. By entering the deceased's name and date of death you will be informed if the Grant has been issued and can obtain a copy of the Grant and the relevant Will for a small fee.
Inheritance Claims
As this type of inheritance act claim must be made within six months of probate being granted, solicitors often hold onto money owned by the estate until this time-period has elapsed. This ensures the estate has the assets required should an inheritance act arise.
Unfortunately there is no easy way of fast tracking probate. There is no special process that is available to do it or extra fee that you can pay to get it done faster than normal. Essentially there are three main stages and at various times you may be reliant on what others are doing which may cause delays.
Most of the delays in the Probate Registry are caused when a probate application is “stopped” for one reason or another. Typically, a probate application that has been completed appropriately should take on average 4-8 weeks to process from the receipt of documents, according to the HMRC.
It is vital on someone's death that the executors obtain Probate as you have no legal authorisation to sell a property before Probate is granted, unless your name is already on the title deeds.
You won't be able to sell the home until probate has been granted. Although you may put the property on the market, contracts can't be exchanged – so your buyer will need to be prepared to wait. It usually takes six to eight weeks for probate to come through, although it can take longer in more complex cases.
In addition to paying any outstanding debts, the person administering the estate will also need to call in any debts that were owed to the person who has died. This can take time, especially if there is any ambiguity over how many loans were made or what the terms were.
There is not a rule for how long you have to start probate. It is up to the executor to decide when they think it is appropriate to start the administration of the estate.
Typically it will take around 6 to 12 months for beneficiaries to start receiving their inheritance, but this varies depending on the complexity of the estate.
Although there are some exceptions, it is usually against the law for you to start sharing out the estate or to get money from the estate, until you have probate or letters of administration.
You should wait 10 months before distributing the estate because claimants who want to challenge a Will have six months from the issue of a Grant of Probate to bring a claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 (the “Act”).
The grant of probate will then name the full name and address of the Deceased ( or an alias name if the deceased was known as ) together with their full address, date of death, and Domicile.
After probate is granted
The process of dealing with an estate can include: closing down bank accounts, cashing in pension and insurance lump sums and selling or transferring property.
+44 300 123 1072
You can also find out information in: the official HMRC app.
Executors are asked not to chase cases for at least 8 weeks unless there are genuinely special circumstances or you will be delaying work. If you just want the Probate Application Pack or have Inheritance Tax queries, call 0300 123 1072.
The quickest way to get a response is to contact the court directly – either in person, by email, phone or letter. Speak to a member of court or tribunal staff while you are in the building. They are best placed to listen to your feedback, resolve your complaint quickly and explain anything that is unclear.
Once the bank has all the necessary documents, typically, they will release the funds within two weeks. Many will release a sum of money before the grant to deal with essential expenses such as funeral costs. The executor should approach the relevant bank promptly to determine the approach they take.
Probate involves a significant amount of legal, tax and administrative work which can be very time consuming and if this work is not completed in a timely manner, the probate process will inevitably take longer. For this reason, most executors choose to instruct a probate specialist to do the work on their behalf.