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Farra is a death administration assistant for UK families. Get step-by-step guidance for registering a death, applying for probate, notifying banks, and managing bereavement admin. From essential documents to practical checklists, Farra simplifies estate paperwork and funeral-related tasks so you can focus on what matters.
All three routes end at the same place — a grant issued by the Probate Registry — and none of them speeds up how long the registry takes. What differs is who does the work, how much you pay, and how much of the estate is left for the people who inherit. This is a calm, factual comparison to help you decide, not a sales pitch for any one option. This is general guidance, not legal advice.
Before comparing price, it helps to be clear about what you are buying with each option — because they are not like-for-like.
The figures below are indicative ranges for a straightforward, home-owning estate in England and Wales. Always get a written quote for your own situation before committing.
| Feature | Do it yourself | Farra (guided)Recommended | Farewill | Solicitor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Typical cost | £300 fee + valuations | One fixed fee | Fixed fee (confirm current price) | £1,500–£10,000+ (often 1–5%) |
| Who does the paperwork | You | You, guided step by step | Farewill | Solicitor |
| Who administers the estate | You | You | Farewill (complete service) | Solicitor |
| You stay the executor | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Usually paid from the estate | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Simple estates, confident executors | Simple estates, executors who want guidance | Those who want the admin handled online | Complex, taxable or contested estates |
Indicative ranges for a straightforward England and Wales estate, last reviewed July 2026. The £300 application fee is due to rise to £526 on 13 July 2026, subject to parliamentary approval. Third-party prices change — confirm directly before deciding.
DIY is the cheapest route in cash terms and is perfectly manageable for a simple, solvent estate: a clear valid will, cooperative beneficiaries, no inheritance tax to pay, and UK-based assets. The trade-off is your time and the fact that you carry personal responsibility for getting it right. If that sounds like your situation, our guide to what you can safely DIY walks through each stage honestly, including the mistakes that get applications rejected.
Not sure if you need probate?
1 in 3 applications are sent back. In under 2 minutes, we'll tell you whether you need it and what to do next.
Farewill's complete probate service suits people who want the administration largely taken off their hands but would rather deal with a fixed-fee online provider than a traditional firm. It is more than DIY and typically costs less than a full solicitor. It remains a professional service, so you are paying for someone else to do the legwork — which is exactly the point for many bereaved families who simply do not have the time or headspace.
Some estates are not a DIY or online-service job. A solicitor is the sensible choice where inheritance tax is payable, there are business, agricultural or foreign assets, there is no will and the intestacy position is complicated, or a dispute is likely. In those cases the fee buys specialist knowledge and professional indemnity insurance. For how to compare quotes fairly, see our fixed fee vs percentage guide and our DIY vs solicitor cost comparison.
Farra is the middle option for people whose estate is DIY-suitable but who do not want to do it entirely alone. You keep control and remain the executor; Farra guides you through each step for one fixed fee, far less than a solicitor's percentage. It is not a law firm and does not do the administration for you, so it will not be the right fit for a complex or taxable estate — for those, a solicitor is the safer choice. We would always rather tell you that plainly than sell you the wrong thing.
Before you decide, it is worth seeing roughly what each route would cost for your estate, and confirming whether you even need probate at all.
1 in 3 probate applications are sent back.
Answer 5 questions in under 2 minutes. We'll tell you whether you need probate, which route to take, and the mistake most people make at this stage.
Where they normally lived, even if they died somewhere else.
Free to check · 2 minutes · No account needed · £295 for your full Farra plan