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Grieving families face a 75 per cent hike in probate fees later this month.
In a blow to families navigating the stressful process of administering an estate, the cost of applying for probate will rise from £300 to £526 from 13 July, the Ministry of Justice says. This represents an increase of £226.
The MoJ claimed the increase 'recovers the cost of an ever-improving service, and the new cost accounts for rising inflation as well as investment in delivering an efficient and modern service'.
Probate documents grant the authority to deal with someone's estate after they die.
Families must pay a probate application fee if the estate is worth more than £5,000. For smaller estates, probate is free.
The last time the probate fee rose was in 2024 when Rishi Sunak was Prime Minister. It increased from £273 to £300.
A public consultation was held before the 2024 increase. There has been no public consultation for this year's 75 per cent increase under Labour.
Additional stress: Grieving individuals face a 75% hike in probate fees later this month
Scott Dixon, consumer rights expert from the Complaints Resolver website, told This is Money: 'This is shocking and smacks of exploiting grieving families, who face a complexity of administration at an already stressful and difficult time.
'I doubt anyone who has dealt with the probate system will say that a 75 per cent hike can be justified to pay for 'an ever-improving service'.
'Previous fee increases haven't improved or addressed years of delays and backlogs, and there's no sign that this will change anytime soon.'
Applying for probate is an important step to gain control over an estate after someone dies, allowing executors to access bank accounts, settle debts and sort out bequests.
According to Co-op Legal Services, one in two families need probate after someone dies.
With the new fee set to kick in from 13 July, some probate solicitors are predicting a surge in applications from families in the days before the deadline to beat the increase.
There is one minor consolation for probate applicants being introduced from 13 July.
A new, separate reduced fee is being introduced for those who request copies of probate documents at the same time as their application. That fee will fall from £16 to just £2.
Previously, there had been an 11-fold increase in the cost of obtaining probate grants, wills and letters of administration, which jumped from £1.50 to £16 in late 2025.
Some solicitors and other inheritance professionals have claimed bereaved families are still suffering hardship and house sales are falling through due to probate delays.
Is the probate service improving?
A damning report handed to MPs in 2024 accused the then-Government's probate service of being error-prone and lacking in experienced staff.
Some households face being fined by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) for not getting their affairs together in time to pay inheritance tax bills.
The bereaved have to pay any tax due by the end of the sixth month after a death and submit an inheritance tax return within 12 months.
A MoJ spokesman said this week: 'We know that losing a loved one is already a difficult time.
'That's why it's vital the probate service remains as smooth, swift and simple as possible.
'The new fee reflects the full cost of an ever-improving service which enables families to resolve disputes in as little as two weeks.
'Increasing fees is always a last resort, however the new cost accounts for rising inflation as well as investment in delivering an efficient and modern service.
'The worst-off will face no fees whatsoever and anyone struggling can still apply to have the fee reduced or removed entirely through our help with fees scheme.'
Sarah Coles, head of personal finance at AJ Bell, said: 'Having to pay a fee for probate is bad enough, given it creates an endless pile of "sadmin" for those you leave behind, so a 75 per cent hike in the fee is adding insult to injury.
'For those who can't afford it, there's a Help with Fees remissions scheme, to cover the cost.
'For everyone else, this is one more horrible hoop to jump through that makes the paperwork and processes after death such a nightmare.'
Laura Bywater, a partner at JMW Solicitors, said: 'Probate application fees increasing from £300 to £526 will hit bereaved families in the pocket. The 75 per cent jump is certainly not in line with rates of inflation as you would perhaps expect.
'I can only hope the fee increase is reflected in providing a much improved service by the Probate Registry to families who are currently waiting months for applications to be processed at an already stressful and difficult period of time.'
HM Courts and Tribunals Service said the time taken to resolve a probate case had more than halved since 2023 thanks to its investment in staff as well as system improvements.
The rise in probate application fees stands alongside other fee hikes. The Ministry of Justice has said it will also raise 170 court and tribunal fees by 2.6 per cent on 13 July, in line with inflation for 2024-25, and 27 other fees by a third on average.
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