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.
This guide has not been checked against its sources
We re-checked our most-read guides against GOV.UK and the other official sources in September 2026. This one was not among them, so nobody has confirmed its figures, deadlines or process steps since it was written. Treat it as a starting point and confirm anything that matters on GOV.UK before you act on it.
If you deal with probate yourself, the fixed costs are the £526 application fee (nothing where the estate is £5,000 or less) and £2 for each sealed copy of the grant ordered with it, plus whatever you pay for valuations, creditor notices and postage. A solicitor's fee is on top of that; no official figure is published, but firms administering uncontested estates must publish their prices. Whichever route you choose, these are estate expenses, so the real question is how much of the estate stays with the family.
Below is an honest, itemised breakdown of what DIY probate costs in 2026, followed by how the do-it-yourself, guided and full-solicitor routes compare. Use the calculator to get a rough figure for your own estate.
A rough total is fine — property, savings, investments and other assets, less any debts.
Banks and pension providers usually each want to see one. They cost £2 each when ordered with the application.
Most of the cost of doing probate yourself is a handful of unavoidable fees. Here is what each one is and roughly what to budget.
| Cost | Typical amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Probate application fee | £526* | The fee to apply for the grant. Nothing to pay for estates of £5,000 or less. |
| Extra copies of the grant | £2 each with the application, £16 later | One copy per bank or institution you need to send it to speeds things up. |
| Property & asset valuations | £0–£500 | An estate agent's appraisal is often free; a formal RICS valuation costs more. |
| Death certificate copies | £12.50 each | Extra certified copies to send to organisations in parallel. |
| Creditor (statutory) notices | £200–£300 | Notices in The Gazette and a local paper protect you from unknown debts. Optional, but wise. |
| Postage, printing, travel | £20–£60 | Recorded delivery, forms, sundries. |
| Typical DIY total | £526–£800 | Plus your time — see below. |
*The £526 fee took effect on 13 July 2026, up from £300.
The cash cost of DIY is low, but it is not free. For a straightforward estate, most executors spend somewhere between 20 and 40 hours over three to six months — gathering valuations, completing the inheritance tax forms, applying for the grant, then collecting and distributing the assets. If inheritance tax is due, or the paperwork goes wrong, that figure climbs. You also carry personal liability as executor, so a missed debt or a valuation error can land on you rather than the estate.
For a fuller side-by-side, see our DIY probate vs solicitor costs comparison and whether you need a solicitor at all.
This is the part people most often miss. The probate fee, valuations, certificates and creditor notices are all estate expenses. They are paid out of the deceased's money — and if you pay them upfront from your own account, you are entitled to reimburse yourself from the estate before anything is distributed to beneficiaries. The same is true of a solicitor's fee or a guided service's fixed fee.
So the honest way to frame the decision is not “what does probate cost me?” but “how much of the estate stays with the family at the end?” A cheaper route leaves more in the estate; a more expensive route buys you time and protection. Neither is right for everyone. This is general guidance, not legal advice — if the estate is complex, taxable, or disputed, it is worth getting a professional view.
If the estate is simple, solvent, has a clear will and no inheritance tax to pay, DIY or a guided route usually makes sense. If tax is due, there are business or foreign assets, there is no will, or beneficiaries are in dispute, paying for professional help is often the better value once you weigh up the risk.
Not sure whether you even need a grant? Try the do I need probate checker, or use the probate cost calculator to see what each route would cost for your estate.