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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.
To apply for probate in England and Wales you need the original will and any codicils, an official copy of the death certificate (or the coroner's interim certificate), figures showing what the estate's assets and debts were worth at the date of death, and the inheritance tax information. For most estates the tax figures go straight into the application; larger or more complex estates send an IHT400 to HMRC first. For context on how these documents fit into the wider process, see our complete guide to probate in the UK.
Probate paperwork splits neatly into two piles: what you need before you start, and what the application produces at the end. This guide works through both, then covers copies, the documents you don't need, and what to do when something is missing.
The will appoints the executors and says who inherits. The Probate Registry needs the original signed will, not a copy.
What if there's no will?
If there is no will, the estate passes under intestacy rules and you apply for letters of administration instead, using form PA1A if applying on paper. The document list is otherwise the same, minus the will.
You need an official copy of the death certificate for the application, and further copies for banks, insurers and other organisations along the way.
The application asks what the estate was worth at the date of death, so before applying you need a figure for every asset and every debt. You don't send all the underlying paperwork to the registry, but you need it gathered and kept, both to get the figures right and in case HMRC asks questions later. Our guide to valuing an estate goes deeper on each category.
Since 2022 the inheritance tax step is much simpler than most older guidance suggests. The old short form, IHT205, no longer exists for deaths on or after 1 January 2022. What you do depends on the estate:
Not sure which side the estate falls on? The checker at GOV.UK gives a definitive answer, and our inheritance tax guide for 2026-27 explains the thresholds.
Completing these forms yourself?
1 in 3 applications are sent back for form errors. In 2 minutes, we'll check the fields people most often get wrong — before you submit.
People often gather far more than the application asks for. You do not need:
On identity: how executors are verified differs between the online and paper routes, and can change, so follow the instructions in the application itself rather than gathering certified ID documents in advance.
Once the application is processed, you receive:
Official copies cost £16 each and are far easier to order with the application than afterwards. A good rule of thumb is one copy per institution you will deal with (each bank, insurer, platform and the Land Registry), so you can send them out simultaneously rather than waiting for one original to circulate.
| Document | How many |
|---|---|
| Original will | One, the original itself. Photocopy it for your records first; the registry keeps it. |
| Death certificates | Several. One per organisation holding an asset is the common rule of thumb. Many banks accept the free Death Notification Service or return certificates, so 3-6 is enough for many estates. |
| Official copies of the grant | One per institution, at £16 each, ordered with the application. |
| Valuation letters and statements | Keep the originals in your own file. HMRC can ask for evidence later, so hold everything until the estate is finished. |
Search thoroughly first (home, solicitor, bank, the National Will Register). If no will can be found, the estate passes under intestacy and you apply for letters of administration instead. See what happens when the will is missing.
Order additional certified copies from the General Register Office at GOV.UK. Allow a couple of weeks for standard delivery.
Contact each organisation directly with a death certificate and ask their bereavement team for a date-of-death valuation. This is routine for them, and most provide it free.
Check bank statements for payments that hint at unknown accounts or policies, and use the free tracing services:
Week 1-2 after the death:
Week 2-6:
Week 6-10:
Then:
Gathering probate documents is slow but very doable. Work through the checklist steadily, keep everything in one file, and don't hesitate to get professional help if the estate is complex.
Four things cover most applications in England and Wales: the original will plus any codicils, an official copy of the death certificate (or the coroner's interim certificate), figures showing what every asset and debt was worth at the date of death, and the inheritance tax information. Most estates report their tax figures within the probate application itself; estates that need a full account send an IHT400 to HMRC first and wait 20 working days before applying.
You need the original signed will. Photocopies are not accepted for the application, and the Probate Registry keeps the original permanently as a public record, so make copies for your own file before sending it. If only a copy can be found, seek legal advice, as proving a copy is possible but needs a separate process.
One official copy for the probate application, plus roughly one per organisation that holds an asset, such as each bank, insurer and pension provider. Many banks accept the free Death Notification Service or return certificates after use, so 3 to 6 copies is enough for many estates. It is easiest to order them when registering the death.
No. The probate application does not ask for ID, birth certificates or bank details from beneficiaries, and you do not need your own bank statements as executor either. Beneficiaries' details only come into play later, when you distribute the estate and want receipts for payments.
The fee is £300 in England and Wales, and there is no fee if the estate is £5,000 or less. Extra official copies of the grant cost £16 each and are best ordered with the application, one per institution you will deal with.
1 in 3 probate applications are sent back. The most common reason: errors on exactly these forms.
Answer 5 questions in under 2 minutes. We'll tell you which forms apply to your estate, what goes in the fields people most often get wrong, and check your answers before you submit.
Where they normally lived, even if they died somewhere else.
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