Probate Cost Calculator
Compare what a grant of probate costs three ways — a high-street solicitor, Farra, or pure DIY. Free, instant, no sign-up.
A rough total is fine — property, savings, investments and other assets, less any debts.
A house or flat adds valuation and paperwork a solicitor would charge for
More institutions means more letters, forms and chasing
The Three Routes at a Glance
High-street solicitor
1%–5% of estate
or a fixed fee from ~£2,750
Farra Complete
£295
one fixed price, guided DIY
Pure DIY
£300
HMCTS fee only (£0 under £5,000)
What Does Probate Actually Cost?
"Probate" is the legal authority an executor needs to deal with a deceased person's estate — to close accounts, sell property, and distribute what's left. Getting that grant of probate can cost anything from a few hundred pounds to tens of thousands, and the difference comes down almost entirely to who does the work, not the grant itself.
There are three realistic routes, and the calculator above compares all three for your estate:
1. A High-Street Solicitor
Instructing a solicitor or a bank's probate service to handle the full estate administration is the most expensive route. Fees are commonly charged as a percentage of the estate — typically 1% to 5% — or as a fixed fee that often starts around £2,750and climbs with complexity. On a £500,000 estate, a 2% fee alone comes to £10,000. Some firms offer a cheaper "grant-only" service where they obtain the grant and hand the rest back to you — worth asking about if you go this way.
2. Farra — Guided DIY
Farra gives you the guidance, pre-filled forms and letters to obtain the grant and administer the estate yourself — with confidence — for a single fixed price of £295. You still pay the HMCTS application fee on top (as you would with any route), but you avoid a solicitor's percentage or fixed fee entirely. For most straightforward estates, that is the difference between keeping thousands of pounds in the estate and handing them to a professional.
3. Pure DIY
You are entitled to apply for probate yourself, with no professional help at all. The only unavoidable cost is the HMCTS application fee: £300 where the estate is worth more than £5,000, and nothing if it is £5,000 or less. Extra official copies of the grant are £1.50 each. The trade-off is that the valuation, tax forms and application are entirely on you — which is exactly the gap Farra is designed to fill.
Note: the £300 application fee is scheduled to rise to £526 from 13 July 2026, subject to parliamentary approval. It applies equally to every route.
These Costs Come Out of the Estate — Not Your Pocket
This is the single most reassuring — and most often missed — point about probate costs. The application fee and any service fees are a legitimate expense of the estate. Whoever pays them upfront is reimbursed from the estate before anything is distributed to beneficiaries. You are not spending your own money; you are deciding how much of the estate's money is spent on getting probate done. Choosing a cheaper route simply leaves more in the estate for the people it is meant for.
Worked Example: A £400,000 Estate With a Property
| Route | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Solicitor, full administration (~2%) | ~£8,000 |
| Farra Complete + £300 application fee | £295 + £300 |
| Pure DIY (application fee only) | £300 |
The grant of probate is identical whichever route produces it. The only variable is how much of the estate you spend to get there.
Which Route Is Right for You?
A solicitor makes sense for genuinely complex estates — disputed wills, businesses, trusts, or significant inheritance tax planning. For the many estates that are essentially a property, some accounts and a clear will, paying 1%–5% for full administration is rarely necessary. Pure DIY works if you are confident with forms and have the time. Farra is built for everyone in between: the guidance and paperwork of a professional route, at a fraction of the cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does probate cost in the UK?
It depends entirely on how you do it. A high-street solicitor offering full estate administration typically charges 1% to 5% of the estate's value, or a fixed fee from around £2,750. Farra provides guided, do-it-yourself probate for a single fixed price. Pure DIY costs only the HMCTS application fee — £300 where the estate is worth more than £5,000, and nothing if it is £5,000 or less. The calculator above shows all three side by side for your estate value.
What is the probate application fee in England and Wales?
The HMCTS probate application fee is £300 where the estate is worth more than £5,000. There is no fee if the estate is £5,000 or less. Extra official copies of the grant cost £1.50 each. This fee is the same whether you apply yourself, through Farra, or through a solicitor — a solicitor's charge is on top of it. The £300 fee is scheduled to rise to £526 from 13 July 2026, subject to parliamentary approval.
Are probate costs paid out of my own pocket?
Not usually. Probate costs — the application fee, and any solicitor or service fees — are normally paid from the estate itself and are a legitimate estate expense. Whoever pays them upfront is reimbursed from the estate before it is distributed to beneficiaries. So the real question is not whether you pay, but how much of the estate is left after costs.
How much do solicitors charge for probate?
High-street solicitors and full-service probate providers commonly charge on a percentage basis — typically between 1% and 5% of the estate's value — or a fixed fee that often starts around £2,750 and rises with the estate's complexity. On a £400,000 estate a 2% fee would be £8,000. Some firms offer a cheaper grant-only service where they simply obtain the grant and you do the rest. Always ask exactly what is included before instructing anyone.
Can I get probate myself without a solicitor?
Yes. Many estates are straightforward enough to handle without a solicitor, and executors are entitled to apply directly to HMCTS. Doing it yourself costs only the £300 application fee (or nothing for estates of £5,000 or less). The trade-off is that you complete the valuation, tax forms and application yourself. Farra sits between the two: it gives you the guidance, forms and letters to do it yourself confidently, for a fraction of a solicitor's fee.
Is this probate cost calculator free?
Yes. It is completely free, needs no sign-up, and runs entirely in your browser — no data is stored or shared. Enter a rough estate value and two details about the estate to see an instant comparison of the three main routes to a grant of probate.
Does every estate need probate?
No. Probate is not always required — for example where assets are jointly owned and pass automatically to a survivor, or where account balances are small enough that banks release them without a grant. Where probate is not needed, there is no application fee to pay. Our guides explain how to check whether the estate you are dealing with needs probate at all.
Sources
- HMCTS — Applying for probate: Fees (GOV.UK). Application fee £300 where the estate is over £5,000; £0 if £5,000 or less; extra copies £1.50 each.
- HM Courts & Tribunals Service — proposed increase of the probate application fee to £526 from 13 July 2026, subject to parliamentary approval.
- Typical solicitor and full-service probate charges: commonly 1% to 5% of the estate's value, or fixed fees from around £2,750 (established public ranges — actual quotes vary by firm and estate).
Figures are estimates to help you compare routes and do not constitute financial or legal advice. Always confirm a provider's fees in writing before instructing them.