Bereaved families will soon have to pay hundreds of pounds more to deal with a loved one's estate after the Government approved a sharp increase in probate fees.
The cost of applying for probate is set to rise by 75 per cent from next month, adding extra financial pressure at an already difficult time.
From July 13, the probate application fee will increase from £300 to £526 as part of wider changes to court and tribunal charges announced by the Ministry of Justice, subject to parliamentary approval.
The Government defended the increase, saying it is needed to cover the cost of running and improving the service.
Officials said the new fee "recovers the cost of an ever-improving service" and reflects both inflation and investment in a more efficient and modern probate system.
Probate is the legal process that gives someone authority to deal with a deceased person's estate. It is generally required when the person who has died leaves assets worth more than £5,000.
According to Co-op Legal Services, around half of all families need to obtain probate following a death.
The increase has drawn criticism from consumer and legal experts.
Consumer rights expert Martyn James rejected the Government's claim that the service is improving, arguing that many people handling probate themselves face "oppressive bureaucracy, unanswered phone calls and complex and officious processes".
Families warned inheritance tax bills could jump by £34,000 under pension crackdown | GETTYHe described the 75 per cent increase as "deeply unfair", saying it far exceeds inflation and comes despite ongoing problems within the probate system.
Ian Bond, a solicitor specialising in wills, trusts and probate and a member of the Law Society's wills and equity committee, also raised concerns about the state of the service.
He noted that the fee increase arrives precisely when backlogs are growing and service standards for complicated cases are deteriorating.
"Paying more to get less. We knew this was coming but that is still a shock," Mr Bond said.
Heather Parker, head of private client at Nottingham firm Actons Solicitors, expressed frustration that persistent delays have not been addressed despite previous fee rises.
The costs of applications are set to soar from £300 to £526
| NegativeSpace"Over recent years we've seen these fees more than double all in the name of better systems, better efficiency, better user experience," she said.
"In reality though we are still seeing families wait months at a time, during what is already a period of grief and stress for their application to go through the system and it is hard to justify the increase in costs to clients when there is no discernible improvement in the service being provided."
Laura Bywater of law firm JMW echoed these concerns, stating the higher charges "will hit bereaved families in the pocket."
She added: "I can only hope that the fee increase is reflected in them providing a much-improved service for families who are currently waiting months for applications to be processed at an already stressful and difficult period of time."
Inheritance tax is also ensnaring a growing number of estates as a result of the threshold freeze | GETTYThe probate fee last rose in 2024, climbing from £270 to £300, while charges for obtaining probate grants, wills and letters of administration surged eleven-fold from £1.50 to £16 in late 2025.
Jemma Hotta of financial advice firm Oury Clark observed that despite justifications about investing in the service, "we have already seen fee rises in recent years which have not in turn translated into a more modern and efficient service."
HM Courts and Tribunals Service maintained that probate case resolution times have more than halved since 2023 following investment in staff and system upgrades.
A Ministry of Justice spokesman said the lowest earners would pay nothing, adding that anyone experiencing financial difficulty could apply for reduced or waived fees through the help with fees scheme.