Client information
Probate Solicitor Fees
Professional charges are shown excluding VAT, with the VAT amount and total at the standard rate where applicable. External charges are separate. Read the service scope and qualifications before relying on a price. Highfin assists executors and people eligible for appointment as administrators, including advice and support with estate administration. Inheritance tax and capital gains tax may be payable where applicable: these are tax liabilities, separate from professional charges and third-party disbursements. Highfin has supplied indicative estimates of 12 weeks and 35 weeks, but has not identified the stages or circumstances to which each relates. These estimates are not guaranteed completion times; ask for a timetable for your instruction. Jocelyn Owtram, Solicitor, is Head of Litigation and Wills & Probate. This practice-area leadership role does not replace the matter-handling and supervision assignments set out below.
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Professional charges are VAT-exclusive. The table shows VAT at 20% and the corresponding gross figure where that rate applies. External costs are separate; their tax treatment depends on the item and supplier.
Read the fee basis and scope for your service below. The listed fees exclude external costs. Ask for a written estimate identifying the work covered, additional charges and likely timing before instructing us.
Service and costs
Uncontested UK estate collection and distribution
Uncontested collection and distribution of UK estate assets. The professional range is not an independently priced grant-only package.
| Uncontested probate | Published range, plus VAT: £1,500.00–£15,000.00 excluding VAT VAT at 20% where applicable: £300.00–£3,000.00. Total at this VAT rate: £1,800.00–£18,000.00. The relationship between this range and hourly work is not specified. No separate grant-only or full-administration fixed package is inferred. |
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| Medium/complex work | Per hour: £350.00 excluding VAT VAT at 20% where applicable: £70.00. Total at this VAT rate: £420.00. The probate hourly rate is £350 excluding VAT: £70 VAT and £420 including VAT at 20%. The separately published estate-administration range is unchanged; its relationship with hourly charging must be agreed for the instruction. |
| Charging basis | Use the basis stated against each priced item below. No combined package or fixed total is inferred from separate entries. |
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| Professional fee or range | The schedule below sets out the approved amounts and ranges. It is not an aggregate quote for every stage. |
| VAT treatment and amount | Charges exclude VAT. The figures show 20% VAT where the standard rate applies. The treatment of a particular instruction depends on the client and the service; a different place-of-supply treatment may apply. |
| Gross professional total | Gross amounts below include 20% VAT on each priced item where applicable. They exclude separately payable external costs and must not be added together without an agreed scope. |
| Complexity assumptions | The number of accounts, properties and beneficiaries, and whether there is a will, affect complexity. The published range does not specify numerical limits or how hourly charging interacts with it. |
| Included services | Published service information describes taking instructions, checking will and death records and entitlement, valuation and inheritance-tax assessment, the grant, collecting assets, paying debts and distribution. It does not establish that all property-sale, tax-return or other work falls within every quoted fee. |
| Exclusions and additional work | Agree any additional work and its cost before it proceeds. The displayed charge should not be treated as an all-inclusive package. |
| Responsible professionals | Marian Clift's published experience covers wills, trusts, probate and estate administration, including leading private client departments. Colin Faragher works on estates with and without wills and on legal research. His published qualifications include BA (Hons) Law and LL.M; his profile sets out his teaching and professional background. |
| Supervision | Work is handled and supervised by Marian Clift and Colin Faragher. |
External costs
These are separate from professional charges. Applicability, supplier charges and VAT must be verified for the instruction.
| Probate application and copies | See the official fee guidance below. The amount depends on the application or claim; no universal external-cost total applies. VAT depends on the nature of the charge and supplier. Confirm the applicable treatment in the cost estimate; the professional-fee VAT calculation is not applied automatically to this item. |
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| Statutory notices, where appropriate | A current amount or range is not published here. Obtain a quotation for this cost if it applies to your matter. VAT depends on the nature of the charge and supplier. Confirm the applicable treatment in the cost estimate; the professional-fee VAT calculation is not applied automatically to this item. |
| Valuations and searches | A current amount or range is not published here. Obtain a quotation for this cost if it applies to your matter. VAT depends on the nature of the charge and supplier. Confirm the applicable treatment in the cost estimate; the professional-fee VAT calculation is not applied automatically to this item. |
| Third-party professional costs, where needed | A current amount or range is not published here. Obtain a quotation for this cost if it applies to your matter. VAT depends on the nature of the charge and supplier. Confirm the applicable treatment in the cost estimate; the professional-fee VAT calculation is not applied automatically to this item. |
Stages and indicative timing
Instructions and valuation
Establish authority, assets and liabilities.
There is no published firm preparation or completion time for this stage. Ask for a matter-specific estimate; documents, complexity and responses from others affect timing.
Tax and grant
Identify tax reporting and grant work within scope.
GOV.UK says a grant is usually received within twelve weeks of submitting the application, but further information can cause delays. This excludes preparation and the later administration of the estate.
Collection and distribution
Collect assets, address liabilities, prepare accounts and distribute appropriately.
There is no published firm preparation or completion time for this stage. Ask for a matter-specific estimate; documents, complexity and responses from others affect timing.
Service and costs
Grant-only assistance
A grant establishes authority to deal with the estate. Collecting assets, settling liabilities and distributing the estate are separate work; no separate grant-only fee has been approved.
| Charging basis | Request a written estimate setting out the charging basis for this service. |
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| Professional fee or range | This service is quoted individually; no separate amount is published here. |
| VAT treatment and amount | Charges exclude VAT. The figures show 20% VAT where the standard rate applies. The treatment of a particular instruction depends on the client and the service; a different place-of-supply treatment may apply. |
| Gross professional total | Gross amounts below include 20% VAT on each priced item where applicable. They exclude separately payable external costs and must not be added together without an agreed scope. |
| Complexity assumptions | Documents, complexity and the extent of the instruction affect cost. Ask which assumptions apply to your estimate. |
| Included services | Agree the work covered by your fee in writing. The process described below is general guidance and does not mean every step is included in the displayed charge. |
| Exclusions and additional work | Agree any additional work and its cost before it proceeds. The displayed charge should not be treated as an all-inclusive package. |
| Responsible professionals | Marian Clift's published experience covers wills, trusts, probate and estate administration, including leading private client departments. Colin Faragher works on estates with and without wills and on legal research. His published qualifications include BA (Hons) Law and LL.M; his profile sets out his teaching and professional background. |
| Supervision | Work is handled and supervised by Marian Clift and Colin Faragher. |
External costs
These are separate from professional charges. Applicability, supplier charges and VAT must be verified for the instruction.
| Probate application and copies | See the official fee guidance below. The amount depends on the application or claim; no universal external-cost total applies. VAT depends on the nature of the charge and supplier. Confirm the applicable treatment in the cost estimate; the professional-fee VAT calculation is not applied automatically to this item. |
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Stages and indicative timing
Application preparation
Confirm evidence and reporting prerequisites.
There is no published firm preparation or completion time for this stage. Ask for a matter-specific estimate; documents, complexity and responses from others affect timing.
Submission and grant
Define submission, queries and handover responsibilities.
GOV.UK says a grant is usually received within twelve weeks of submitting the application, but further information can cause delays. This excludes preparation and the later administration of the estate.
Service and costs
Contentious probate
Highfin handles contentious and disputed probate. The uncontested schedule does not price litigation; the scope, charging basis and funding terms require an individual agreement.
| Charging basis | Request a written estimate setting out the charging basis for this service. |
|---|---|
| Professional fee or range | This service is quoted individually; no separate amount is published here. |
| VAT treatment and amount | Charges exclude VAT. The figures show 20% VAT where the standard rate applies. The treatment of a particular instruction depends on the client and the service; a different place-of-supply treatment may apply. |
| Gross professional total | Gross amounts below include 20% VAT on each priced item where applicable. They exclude separately payable external costs and must not be added together without an agreed scope. |
| Complexity assumptions | Documents, complexity and the extent of the instruction affect cost. Ask which assumptions apply to your estimate. |
| Included services | Agree the work covered by your fee in writing. The process described below is general guidance and does not mean every step is included in the displayed charge. |
| Exclusions and additional work | Agree any additional work and its cost before it proceeds. The displayed charge should not be treated as an all-inclusive package. |
| Responsible professionals | Marian Clift's published experience covers wills, trusts, probate and estate administration, including leading private client departments. Colin Faragher works on estates with and without wills and on legal research. His published qualifications include BA (Hons) Law and LL.M; his profile sets out his teaching and professional background. |
| Supervision | Work is handled and supervised by Marian Clift and Colin Faragher. |
External costs
These are separate from professional charges. Applicability, supplier charges and VAT must be verified for the instruction.
| Court fees, counsel and experts, where applicable | A current amount or range is not published here. Obtain a quotation for this cost if it applies to your matter. VAT depends on the nature of the charge and supplier. Confirm the applicable treatment in the cost estimate; the professional-fee VAT calculation is not applied automatically to this item. |
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Stages and indicative timing
Assess the dispute
Agree the scope and cost basis for the proposed instruction.
There is no published firm preparation or completion time for this stage. Ask for a matter-specific estimate; documents, complexity and responses from others affect timing.
Service and costs
Will-writing pricing
Will writing is separately priced. The published amount is retained, with standard-rate VAT shown where applicable.
| Will writing | Published charge, plus VAT: £350.00 excluding VAT VAT at 20% where applicable: £70.00. Total at this VAT rate: £420.00. The fee excludes VAT; the displayed gross amount applies where UK VAT is due at the standard rate. Additional trust or tax work is not assumed included. |
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| Charging basis | Use the basis stated against each priced item below. No combined package or fixed total is inferred from separate entries. |
|---|---|
| Professional fee or range | The schedule below sets out the approved amounts and ranges. It is not an aggregate quote for every stage. |
| VAT treatment and amount | Charges exclude VAT. The figures show 20% VAT where the standard rate applies. The treatment of a particular instruction depends on the client and the service; a different place-of-supply treatment may apply. |
| Gross professional total | Gross amounts below include 20% VAT on each priced item where applicable. They exclude separately payable external costs and must not be added together without an agreed scope. |
| Complexity assumptions | Documents, complexity and the extent of the instruction affect cost. Ask which assumptions apply to your estimate. |
| Included services | Published will-writing information covers advice, drafting, execution and advice about future updates. Bespoke trusts, tax work and later amendments must not be assumed included without an agreed scope. |
| Exclusions and additional work | Agree any additional work and its cost before it proceeds. The displayed charge should not be treated as an all-inclusive package. |
| Responsible professionals | Marian Clift's published experience covers wills, trusts, probate and estate administration, including leading private client departments. Colin Faragher works on estates with and without wills and on legal research. His published qualifications include BA (Hons) Law and LL.M; his profile sets out his teaching and professional background. |
| Supervision | Work is handled and supervised by Marian Clift and Colin Faragher. |
External costs
These are separate from professional charges. Applicability, supplier charges and VAT must be verified for the instruction.
| Any third-party costs requiring prior agreement | A current amount or range is not published here. Obtain a quotation for this cost if it applies to your matter. VAT depends on the nature of the charge and supplier. Confirm the applicable treatment in the cost estimate; the professional-fee VAT calculation is not applied automatically to this item. |
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Stages and indicative timing
Instructions and drafting
Agree instructions and drafting scope.
There is no published firm preparation or completion time for this stage. Ask for a matter-specific estimate; documents, complexity and responses from others affect timing.
Execution
Confirm signing assistance and completion arrangements.
There is no published firm preparation or completion time for this stage. Ask for a matter-specific estimate; documents, complexity and responses from others affect timing.
Separate third-party charges
Official fee guidance
Probate application and copies
The application fee is £526 for estates over £5,000; no application fee applies at or below £5,000. Extra copies ordered with the application cost £2 each; copies ordered afterwards cost £16 each. A second application after a grant costs £22. These statutory charges are separate from Highfin’s professional fees.
Official guidance: Probate application and copies · Checked 2026-10-13
Planning your next step
Confirm the scope first.
Agree fees, scope and timing before an instruction begins. Service-specific consultation terms are shown above; no funding arrangement or consultation credit is implied.
- Probate
- Estate administration
- Contentious probate
- Marian Clift
- Colin Faragher
- Jocelyn Owtram - Head of Litigation and Wills & Probate
Use the Contact page to discuss your enquiry.
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