Apply For ProbateOnlinePart of Estate Advisory Group

Probate checklist

Probate follows the same order in almost every estate: register the death and secure the assets, find the will and identify the executors, value everything as at the date of death, settle the Inheritance Tax position, apply for the grant, collect the assets, pay the debts, then distribute and produce estate accounts. Working in that order is what keeps an executor protected.

Jurisdiction: England & Wales. Last reviewed 13 August 2026.

The first two weeks

  1. Register the death and order several certified copies of the certificate.
  2. Find the original will and any codicils, and check who the executors are.
  3. Secure the property, redirect post and tell the insurer the house is unoccupied.
  4. Notify the banks, and use the Tell Us Once service where it is offered.
  5. Keep every receipt from the moment you start — funeral costs and expenses are reimbursable from the estate.

Establishing what the estate contains

  • Date-of-death balances for every account, in writing
  • Property valuation from an estate agent or, where tax is in issue, a surveyor
  • Shares, bonds, premium bonds and investment holdings
  • Pensions and life policies, and whether each is written in trust
  • Mortgages, loans, credit cards, tax owed and unpaid bills
  • Gifts made in the 7 years before death

Evidence every figure

Every number you report has to be one you could show HMRC. Estimates are the most common reason an account has to be corrected later.

Tax and the application

  1. Work out whether the estate is excepted or needs a full account. The nil-rate band is £325,000, plus up to £175,000 where a home passes to direct descendants.
  2. Where tax is due, submit the account and arrange payment or funding before applying.
  3. Apply for the grant, order one sealed copy per institution at £2 each, and pay the £526 fee (£5,000).
  4. Post the original will to the registry straight away.

After the grant

  1. Send a sealed copy to each bank, registrar and insurer and collect the funds into an executor's account.
  2. Consider a deceased estates notice before distributing, to protect yourself against unknown creditors.
  3. Pay the debts in the correct order, then any legacies.
  4. Deal with income tax to the date of death and any income arising during the administration.
  5. Distribute the residue and give the beneficiaries estate accounts.

Working through this with the estate in front of you

Our £349 package turns this checklist into a live plan for the actual estate: every asset, debt and beneficiary recorded, the tax route identified, and a printable summary containing every answer the registry asks for.

GOV.UK — What to do after someone dies

Frequently asked questions

How long should the whole process take?
A straightforward estate commonly takes six to twelve months from death to final distribution, with the grant itself often 8 to 16 weeks once the registry has everything.
Should I distribute as soon as the grant arrives?
Not immediately. Most executors wait until the notice period for creditors has passed and the tax position is settled, because they are personally liable for getting it wrong.
Do I need a separate bank account for the estate?
It is not compulsory, but an executor's account keeps estate money separate from your own and makes the final accounts far easier to prepare.

Dealing with a straightforward estate yourself?

Our free probate checker helps you work out whether this estate appears suitable for a self-help route. It asks about jurisdiction, disputes and complexity, takes a few minutes, and needs no account.

Check suitability — freeSee how it works

£349 one-off service fee if you go ahead. Court fee and any Inheritance Tax are paid separately.

Guides that go deeper

Sources

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