Has the cost of applying for probate just gone up — and what can you do about it?

If you’re currently sorting out a relative’s affairs after a bereavement, or expect to be an executor at some point, this is one of those quiet changes that can catch people out — it doesn’t make headlines the way a benefit cut does, but it lands at one of the most stressful times in family life.

What exactly has changed?

From 13 July 2026, the standard probate application fee in England and Wales increased from £300 to £526. The government says the change “recovers the cost of an ever-improving service” and accounts for inflation and investment in the probate system. It’s part of a wider review that has increased more than 170 different court and tribunal fees across HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS), not just probate.

To put the rise in context: the fee was £273 until May 2024, went up to £300, and has now reached £526 — nearly double in just over two years.

Do you always have to pay it?

No. If the estate you’re dealing with is worth £5,000 or less, there’s no probate application fee at all. Above that threshold, the £526 fee applies regardless of how much the estate is worth — whether it’s £10,000 or £1 million, the flat fee is the same.

It’s also worth remembering that not every estate needs probate in the first place — for example, if everything was jointly owned and passes automatically to a surviving spouse or partner. If you’re unsure whether you need to apply at all, it’s worth checking that before worrying about the fee.

What about getting extra copies of the grant?

There’s a small piece of better news buried in the same changes. You’ll usually need several official copies of the grant of probate — one for each bank, pension provider or other organisation you deal with on the estate’s behalf. If you order these copies at the same time as your main application, the fee for them has actually dropped, from £16 to £2. It only applies when you order copies alongside the original application, not if you go back for more later.

What if you can’t afford the fee?

The Help with Fees scheme remains available if you have a limited income or receive certain benefits. There are two ways to apply:

• Apply online through the government’s Help with Fees service before you submit your probate application
• Fill in paper form EX160 and send it to the Newcastle probate registry, or to the Help with Fees team directly

One important catch: if you apply online, you’ll usually need to pay the full £526 fee upfront and then get a refund if your application for help is successful. You also can’t get help with the fee for extra copies of the document — only the main application fee is covered. If you have questions about eligibility, the Help with Fees team can be contacted by email at [email protected].

Does this affect estates where probate is already underway?

The new fee applies to applications submitted from 13 July 2026 onwards. If you already applied and paid before that date, the increase doesn’t apply retrospectively to your case. If you’re only now starting the process, the £526 fee is what you should budget for.

What should you do if you’re about to apply?

A few practical steps can make the process smoother and avoid unnecessary extra costs:

• Work out roughly how many organisations you’ll need to send a copy of the grant to (banks, pension providers, share registrars) and order that many copies with your original application, while the £2 rate applies
• Check whether the estate is worth £5,000 or less before assuming a fee is due at all
• If money is tight, look into Help with Fees before you submit your application, rather than after
• Keep a note of the date you submit, in case fees change again — the government has signalled this is part of an ongoing review of court costs