Probate without a solicitor
Yes. In many straightforward estates an executor or administrator can deal with probate personally. Whether that is appropriate depends on the estate, the will, the Inheritance Tax position and whether anyone is disputing anything. Where those are all clean, the work is admin — thorough, methodical admin — rather than law.
Jurisdiction: England & Wales. Last reviewed 13 August 2026.
In this section
What a solicitor actually does — and what you would be doing instead
Most probate work on a straightforward estate is not legal work. It is writing to institutions, collecting date-of-death figures, checking whether Inheritance Tax is due, filling in an application, then paying debts and beneficiaries in the right order and keeping accounts that prove it. A solicitor does the same tasks with a file-opening letter and an hourly rate or a percentage of the estate attached.
| Task | Legal judgement needed? | Who normally does it |
|---|---|---|
| Writing to banks for date-of-death balances | No | You |
| Getting a property valuation | No | An agent or surveyor |
| Deciding if the estate is excepted for Inheritance Tax | Sometimes | You, with a screening |
| Completing the application and statement of truth | No | You |
| Interpreting an unclear or disputed will | Yes | A solicitor |
| Defending a claim against the estate | Yes | A solicitor |
What you take on
An executor is personally responsible for administering the estate correctly. That means valuing it honestly, reporting accurately to HMRC, paying debts before beneficiaries, and keeping records that show you did. Personal liability is the real subject here — not the difficulty of the forms.
Three habits that keep the risk low
Evidence every figure with a document before you use it, place the statutory notices for creditors before you distribute, and get beneficiaries to approve the estate accounts in writing.Estates that usually suit a personal application
- The deceased lived in England or Wales and their assets are here
- There is a valid original will, or the intestacy position is clear and undisputed
- No one is contesting the will or threatening a claim against the estate
- The estate is solvent — the assets comfortably cover the debts
- No business, farm, trust interest or foreign property
- No large or unusual lifetime gifts in the last 7 years to unpick
- The estate is excepted for Inheritance Tax, or the tax position is simple and clear
Estates that do not
Get professional advice if any of these apply
A disputed or contested will, a caveat, an insolvent estate, a claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act, a trust, business or agricultural relief, foreign assets, or a beneficiary who is a minor or lacks capacity.Doing it without a solicitor, step by step
- Register the death, order several certified copies and use Tell Us Once.
- Find the original will and confirm who is entitled to apply.
- Write to every bank, insurer, registrar, pension provider and creditor for date-of-death figures.
- Get the property valued in writing, and list the debts gross.
- Settle the Inheritance Tax position — excepted-estate figures, or a full account where tax is due.
- Make the application, sign the statement of truth, pay the £526 court fee and post the original will.
- When the grant arrives, collect the assets into an executor account and pay the debts.
- Place the statutory notices, prepare estate accounts, get them approved, then distribute.
What you save, honestly
Professional probate costs vary widely and we will not publish invented savings figures. What we can say plainly is that percentage-based fees rise with the value of the estate while the underlying work does not, and that our fee is £349 regardless of estate value, with the court fee of £526 payable separately to HMCTS.
| Route | What you pay | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Entirely alone | £526 court fee plus estate expenses | Everything, unguided |
| Guided self-service | £349 plus the £526 court fee | Everything, with the steps, figures and letters prepared for you |
| Solicitor | Hourly or a percentage of the estate | Sign, supply documents, wait |
What a self-help platform adds over doing it entirely alone
- A structured suitability check before you commit to anything
- A guided inventory so nothing is missed and every figure has evidence behind it
- An Inheritance Tax screening against current thresholds
- A printable summary containing every answer the registry asks for
- Prepared correspondence for banks, creditors and beneficiaries
- Automatic estate accounts with per-beneficiary distributions and a signature block
Find out in a few minutes whether this is you
The free suitability check asks about the will, the family, the assets and the tax position, and tells you plainly whether a personal application is sensible here or whether you should see a solicitor. Nothing to pay and no account needed.Frequently asked questions
- Is it legal to do probate without a solicitor?
- Yes. Executors and administrators have always been entitled to apply personally; there is no requirement to instruct anyone.
- Do banks accept a grant obtained without a solicitor?
- Yes. The grant is the same court document however the application was made, and institutions treat it identically.
- What happens if I make a mistake?
- Depending on the mistake you may have to correct figures with HMRC, or you may be personally liable to a creditor or beneficiary for a shortfall. Statutory notices, careful valuations and written approval of the estate accounts are what keep that risk low.
- How much does probate cost without a solicitor?
- The £526 court fee for estates above £5,000, £2 for each extra sealed copy, plus estate expenses such as notices and valuations. Our guided package is £349 whatever the estate is worth.
- Can I start myself and hand over later?
- Yes. Nothing stops you instructing a firm partway through if the estate becomes complicated.
- Is it faster without a solicitor?
- Often, yes — you chase institutions directly rather than through a file. The registry's own processing time is the same either way.
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.
£349 one-off service fee if you go ahead. Court fee and any Inheritance Tax are paid separately.
Sources
Continue your probate journey
Apply For Probate Online is an independent self-help service and is not part of HM Courts & Tribunals Service or GOV.UK.