There is good news for estates, as the expected probate fee increases have now been further delayed.
The current fee paid when applying for probate is £215 (or £155 for those applying through a solicitor) and there is no fee charged if the estate is worth less than £5,000.
From 1 April 2019, probate fees were due to change substantially and this meant that there would be fee increases for some estates, with a maximum fee of £6,000 charged for estates worth over £2 million.
In March 2019, the Government then announced that, due to Parliamentary time being taken up with Brexit discussions, the introduction of the increased probate fees was being postponed.
It has now been announced that the Non-Contentious Probate Fees Order 2018, which was due to introduce the fee increases, has been allowed to lapse. This is because Brexit and the prorogation of Parliament have limited the time available in which for Parliament to deal with legislation.
Does this mean that probate fees won’t be increased?
Unfortunately, this may only be a temporary reprieve, as it is anticipated that the increased probate fees will occur in the future. It is also possible that this could be reintroduced during the next session of Parliament.
In the meantime, the current fees still apply, which means less of a financial burden for many estates.