Whether you’re applying for probate or need support to handle the estate of someone who’s died, our specialists and legal partners are here to help.
£595 Incl. VAT
Great if the estate is simple to sort out, or you’ve got the confidence and time to deal with the rest of the process.
You will need to: contact relevant organisations about assets and debts; gather documentation and verify who is to inherit; handle the estate administration.
Extra costs:There’s a probate registry fee of £273, and copies of the probate cost £1.50 each.
Even if you’re not sure what you need, answer some quick questions and we’ll help.
£1,500Incl. VAT
Great if the estate is complicated, you’re very busy or worried about making mistakes, or if an impartial expert could help avoid family conflict.
Extra costs:here’s a probate registry fee of £273, and copies of the probate cost £1.50 each. Other standard fees will apply.
Probate is a legal document which gives you the authority to handle the money, property and personal possessions (the estate) of the person who has died.
If someone has died and you’re named as an executor in the will, or you’re an administrator, you may need to apply for probate. To apply, you’ll need to check the validity of the will (if there is one), value the estate, confirm who has the authority to handle estate administration and pay any Inheritance Tax.
Estate administration is the process of handling the estate. It includes selling, transferring or distributing assets, dealing with all the legal, financial and tax affairs, and preparing estate accounts.
Probate can be complex, emotional and time consuming. Our probate specialists are here to help.
We’ll explain what probate involves – what you can do yourself, and what our specialists can do for you.
We’ll give you a detailed fixed-price quote based on the complexity of the estate.
Your dedicated specialist will keep you updated from start to finish, and explain any legal jargon.
We’ll make sure everything can be done from the comfort of your own home.
Get your estimated quote online. If that looks good, book your free call with one of our probate specialists.
In just 5 minutes, one of our friendly specialists will help you work out:
If you need to apply for probate
How much it would cost to apply
How we can support you with estate administration
When is probate required?
Probate is required after around 50% of deaths in the UK and can be needed whether there is a will or not. If most of the assets were jointly owned or the estate’s value is less than £10,000, you may not need to apply for probate. In most other cases, applying for probate is an essential step in dealing with someone's estate.
Find out more about when probate is required here.
What is an executor of a will supposed to do?
In cases where probate is required, it's the executor's responsibility to apply for probate and deal with the estate. This may include gathering information about the deceased's assets, submitting the probate application, selling property, closing bank accounts and distributing funds to beneficiaries.
Eco Cremation's Grant Only probate service can help you get a grant of probate for as little as £595. We also offer a Complete Probate service if you don't have the time or confidence to deal with the estate admin yourself, which we quote for on a case by case basis.
You can find out more about who can apply for probate here.
How much does probate cost?
The amount you’ll pay for probate depends on the type of services you need.
If the estate is simple to sort out, or you have the time and confidence to handle the whole process, then Eco Cremation’s Grant Only probate service starts at £595. Once you have the grant of probate, you’ll take responsibility for the estate administration, pay any debts and settle taxes, prepare the final estate accounts and distribute the estate to beneficiaries.
If the estate is more complex, or just just don’t have the time and confidence to handle the process yourself, then our Complete Probate service starts at £1,500. We’ll give you a fixed-price quote before any work begins, and you’ll get a dedicated probate specialist to support you every step of the way. They will handle the legal, financial and tax affairs, prepare detailed accounts and pay beneficiaries for you. There are no upfront payments, and the cost of probate can be paid from the estate.
How long does probate take?
The whole probate and estate admin process can take 6 to 12 months The exact timelines will depend on the size of the estate, and how complicated it is to sort out. For the most complex cases, and for estates with properties, the process can take longer than a year.
The first step (getting you the legal probate document) can take up to 16 weeks This document is called the ‘grant of probate’, or ‘grant of letters of administration’ if there’s no will. HMRC says that you’ll usually get the grant of probate or letters of administration within 16 weeks of submitting your application. It can take longer if you need to provide additional information.
Once you’ve got your grant, there are two ways of doing things You can either sort out the estate yourself — including things like closing accounts, selling property and distributing assets to beneficiaries — or we can handle the estate admin and finances for you.
Who is responsible for obtaining probate?
If there is a will, the executors named in the will are responsible for obtaining probate and distributing funds to beneficiaries. In cases where there is no will – or when the executors of the will have died or are unable to deal with the estate – the person who stands to inherit the residuary estate (once all debts and expenses are paid) usually handles the application.
What can I do with the ashes after a cremation?
If the total value of the estate is less than £10,000, you probably won’t need to apply for probate. This is because banks are more willing to release smaller funds and assets without seeing a formal grant from the government.
In some cases, banks and other organisations have been known to release up to £50,000 without seeing a grant. So if you think the estate value is fairly small, check with the specific companies to see what their probate threshold is.
What do you need to do when someone dies?
Losing a loved one is a difficult thing to go through, so we’ve created a free guide to help make things a little bit easier. You can see our guide on what to do when someone dies here.
Prefer to talk to a specialist about your situation? Give us a call on 020 8016 3693 – we're here from Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm to help.
Our specialists can help you work out of you need probate, how much it costs, and the different options available.
