Tools / Probate fees calculator
The application fee in England and Wales rose from £300 to £526 on 13 July 2026, and copies of the grant fell from £16 to £2. Most pages online still quote the old figures.
| Before 13 July 2026 | Now | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | £300 | £526 |
| Estates at or below £5,000 | No fee | No fee |
| Each copy of the grant | £16 | £2 |
The application fee rose by just over 75%. Copies became much cheaper because they are now issued electronically, so ordering several at the outset is inexpensive and saves going back later.
Not always. Where everything was jointly owned and passes automatically to the survivor, or where the estate is small and the banks will release funds without a grant, you may not need one at all. Each bank sets its own threshold, commonly somewhere between £5,000 and £50,000.
Scotland and Northern Ireland are different systems. Scotland grants confirmation through the sheriff court on its own fee scale, and Northern Ireland has a separate regime. The figures here are England and Wales only.
The application fee in England and Wales is £526 for estates worth more than £5,000, having risen from £300 on 13 July 2026. Copies of the grant cost £2 each. Estates at or below £5,000 pay no application fee.
The fee rose from £300 to £526 on 13 July 2026, an increase of just over 75%, to cover the cost of the probate service. At the same time the charge for copies of the grant fell from £16 to £2 because they are now issued electronically.
No. Executors can apply directly and pay only the court fee. A solicitor typically charges between 1% and 5% of the estate. Professional help is usually worth it where there is a trust, a business, a dispute, or inheritance tax to pay.
There is no application fee for estates valued at £5,000 or less. For estates near that level you may not need a grant at all, as many banks release funds without one below their own threshold.
Last verified 16 September 2026. This is an estimate from a calculator, not tax advice, and GlideOps is not a firm of accountants. It uses 2026/27 rates for England and Northern Ireland and cannot see your full circumstances. Check anything that matters against HMRC guidance or an accountant before you file or commit money.