How long does an estate take to finish after the grant?

Three to six months for a simple estate with no property to sell; nine to eighteen months where a house is being sold or Inheritance Tax clearance is needed.

Process · 6 min read

The grant has arrived — what happens next?

The grant is the middle of the process, not the end. It unlocks the assets — collecting them in, settling debts and distributing correctly is the second half of the job.

Written and reviewed by Ramani Gill, Founder & CEO — Solicitor, TEP, BA, LLM. Last reviewed 2026-08-19.

The order of work

Send a sealed copy of the grant to each asset holder with your closure or transfer instructions
Open an executor's account, or use a designated client-style account, and pay everything into it
Place statutory notices in The Gazette and a local newspaper if you have not already
Settle debts, funeral expenses and administration costs in the correct order
Deal with income tax to the date of death and for the administration period
Prepare estate accounts and get the residuary beneficiaries to approve them
Carry out bankruptcy searches against beneficiaries, then distribute

Timings you cannot compress

Stage	Typical time
Banks closing accounts on production of the grant	2 – 6 weeks
Share sales or transfers	3 – 8 weeks
Statutory notice period	2 months minimum
Sale of a property	3 – 6 months
HMRC clearance where an IHT400 was filed	Several months

The six-month rule

A claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 can be brought within six months of the grant. Distributing before that window closes, where a claim is foreseeable, exposes you personally.

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Before you distribute

Notice periods have expired
All known debts and taxes are paid or provided for
Estate accounts are approved by the residuary beneficiaries
Bankruptcy searches are clear
You have kept a contingency for anything still open

GOV.UK — Dealing with the estate after probate

Common questions

How long does an estate take to finish after the grant?: Three to six months for a simple estate with no property to sell; nine to eighteen months where a house is being sold or Inheritance Tax clearance is needed.

Not sure whether this estate is straightforward?

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