The move to an online, probate application system hasn’t been easy with well-publicised and inevitable probate application delays. If that wasn’t enough, HM Courts & Tribunal Service (HMCTS) are still the subject of a government consultation where a proposal has been put forward to bring in a new flat rate fee of £273. This marks an increase of 76%! This is something that The Law Society is strongly opposed to. The consultation is set to continue until 23rd September this year.
In the meantime, HMCTS, to help justify its proposed increased probate – application fee, have made some welcome changes to its online ‘myHMCTS’ service. These changes are as follows:
- Trust Corporations – traditionally created by private law firms operating as separate legal entities, can apply for a grant online, following requests from users.
- New prompts, throughout the online probate application process, have been integrated in the system, to make the probate application process easier and more efficient.
- Solicitors are no longer required to send a death certificate of any pre-deceased executors
Stephanie Boyce, The Law Society President has said of the proposed probate fee increase “We want to ensure that the changes won’t affect the viability of firms doing probate work or act as a barrier to vulnerable people who need to use this service.”
For advice on Wills, get in touch with the team here at Dunham McCarthy.