Rowlinsons Solicitors is calling on families across Cheshire and the wider North West who are currently dealing with a loved one's estate to seek legal advice as a matter of urgency, ahead of a substantial increase to the government fee for obtaining a grant of probate.
From 13th July 2026, the flat fee payable to HM Courts and Tribunals Service for a probate application rises from £300 to £526, an increase of more than 75% in a single step. The change is subject to parliamentary approval.
Donna Eland, Director and Head of Private Client at Rowlinsons Solicitors, is encouraging anyone in the process of administering an estate to find out without delay whether their application can be submitted before the increase takes effect.
"This is a very significant fee increase which has been announced by the Government with very little notice. Families who are already partway through the process of dealing with an estate should speak to their legal advisers as a matter of urgency to understand whether their probate application can be submitted before the increase takes effect.”
“A 75% increase in a government fee, with very little notice, is a significant imposition on families who are grieving and managing an already complex and emotionally demanding process. The sooner families get in touch, the more options we have to help them."
"We are reviewing our ongoing files and reaching out to clients to assess which matters may be able to proceed to make the Grant of Probate application ahead of this fee increase. Estates which are subject to Inheritance Tax are however also subject to HMRC timescales and it usually takes up to 20 working days from submission of the IHT forms before a probate application can be made, so it may not be possible in all cases to expedite an application.”
Legal professionals across England and Wales are already predicting a surge in probate applications ahead of 13th July, mirroring what happened in 2019 when a proposed fee increase prompted a rush that overwhelmed the probate service and caused processing delays of several months. Families with applications nearing completion are being strongly advised to prioritise submission before the deadline.
The wider package of fee changes announced by the Ministry of Justice on 19th June 2026 does include one welcome development. The cost of certified copies of the grant will fall from £16 per copy to just £2 per copy, provided copies are requested at the same time as the probate application. As banks, pension providers, investment platforms and other financial institutions each typically require their own sealed copy before releasing assets, this reduction will provide a practical saving for many estates.
Rowlinsons Solicitors is based in Frodsham and has built a reputation as one of the leading private client practices in the North West, winning the Law Society Excellence Award for Private Client Practice.