Most people only deal with probate once or twice in their lives, usually at the worst possible moment, so it is no surprise the process feels opaque. The good news is that it follows a clear, repeatable sequence. Knowing what each stage involves, and the order they come in, removes much of the anxiety, and it is the reason many families lean on experts who can handle probate for you to keep the steps moving rather than guessing what comes next.
This is a walkthrough of what actually happens between a death and the moment an estate is fully settled. It assumes there is a will and a named executor, though the steps are broadly the same for an administrator where there is no will. GOV.UK’s applying-for-probate guidance covers the official forms; what follows is the practical running order.
1. Register the death and get certificates
The death must be registered, usually within five days in England and Wales, and the registrar will issue the official death certificate. Order several certified copies at this point, because you will need to send one to each bank, insurer and registrar, and getting extras later is slower and more expensive than ordering them upfront.
2. Locate the will and identify the executor
Find the most recent valid will and confirm who it names as executor. The will also tells you who the beneficiaries are and how the estate should be divided. If you cannot find a will, the estate is dealt with under the intestacy rules and a relative applies as administrator instead.
3. Value the estate
Before you can apply, you need a clear figure for what the estate is worth. List every asset, value each one as at the date of death, then subtract debts, the mortgage and funeral costs. This valuation drives everything that follows, including whether inheritance tax is due and which reporting route applies, so it is worth doing thoroughly rather than quickly.
4. Report to HMRC and handle any inheritance tax
Many estates now qualify as “excepted estates,” where the value is declared as part of the probate application. Larger or taxable estates need the fuller IHT400 account. Where inheritance tax is due, it generally has to be paid before the grant is issued, and the deadline is the end of the sixth month after death, after which HMRC charges interest. Banks can often pay tax directly to HMRC from the deceased’s accounts under the Direct Payment Scheme, which helps when the cash is otherwise locked up.
5. Apply for the grant
With the valuation done and tax in hand, you submit the probate application, online for most straightforward estates, confirming the figures through a statement of truth rather than the old sworn oath. The application fee is £300 for estates worth more than £5,000, and there is no fee below that. Order extra official copies of the grant while you apply; they cost £16 each and you will usually need one for every institution holding assets.
6. Wait for the grant to be issued
Once HMCTS has a complete application, online grants are currently issued in around twelve weeks. Paper applications and anything needing extra checks take longer. This is the stage where families feel stuck, because little can move until the grant arrives, so using the wait to gather paperwork for the next steps is time well spent.
7. Collect in the assets
With the grant in hand, you send copies to each bank, registrar and insurer, and they release the funds or transfer the assets. If a property is being sold, the grant is what allows the sale to complete. Money collected in is usually held in a dedicated executor’s account until the estate is ready to be distributed.
8. Settle debts, expenses and final bills
Before anyone inherits, the estate’s debts are paid: outstanding loans, utility and council tax bills, any remaining inheritance tax, and the costs of administering the estate. It is sensible to place a deceased estates notice and allow the statutory period for creditors to come forward, which protects the executor from later claims.
9. Prepare estate accounts and distribute
Finally, you draw up estate accounts showing everything that came in, everything paid out, and what each beneficiary receives. Once the beneficiaries have approved them, you distribute the estate according to the will (or the intestacy rules) and the job is done. The MoneyHelper guide to getting probate is a helpful reference to keep alongside you through these later stages.
How long the whole thing takes
The grant itself is only one part of the timeline. Allowing for valuation, tax, the wait for the grant, collecting assets and settling debts, a straightforward estate typically takes six to twelve months to administer fully. Property sales, missing paperwork or a taxable estate can push that out further.
None of these steps is difficult on its own. The challenge is doing them in the right order, on time, and without missing anything that comes back to bite later. Take them one at a time, keep good records as you go, and the process becomes a sequence to work through rather than a wall to climb. If a stage stalls, an estate with property, or one where inheritance tax is due, that is usually the point where a second pair of experienced hands pays for itself.
