Probate times- Recent Experiences

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Has anyone been through probate recently? I’m interested in how long it’s taking from submission of the application to being issued with the grant. I’m especially interested in estates where inheritance tax has been payable and whether this has significantly increased the time it takes. Thanks.

Oddly, I had a conversation with my friend on Tuesday.

Death was in March. Probate granted this week. Inheritance Tax not due.

We’re waiting for this! Death early April, probate applied for early May. Simple estate (modest house, some savings, two equal beneficiaries). I don’t think it will attract IHT. Still heard nothing! It’s such a mystery - and a worry as house is sitting empty.

Applied in June.

Sent all forms Inc IHT400 plus schedules off. No IHT to pay as all going to spouse, but forms were required due to holiday home.

Got a letter back saying no IHT due and they’d send things to probate, should hear by early October.

Then got an odd email wanting confirmation from witnesses that nothing untoward had happened with Will signing (v odd as v standard will, written almost 10yrs before death- not as if he suddenly left all his money to his cleaner at the last min).

Probate office emailed a witness with a form to fill in on 24/10, which they sent back immediately… not heard since. Still waiting.

And yet, according to a press release on the Gov.UK website from February this year, waiting times for probate have been halved and it’s now taking four weeks on average.This is not my experience. Eight weeks in and I’m in limbo.

We are in Scotland. Person died in August. Started with will early sept with lawyer. Not applied for confirmation yet but will do before Christmas. Area we are in is quite fast should hear Feb /march. Then we can sell properties.
Big IHT bill to pay too.

2 weeks.
But bank taking ages to process and have resubmitted probate form twice already to try to access funds 2 months and coubting

Complicated estate involving trusts etc - probate granted 19 days after applying with the HMRC code. All of us very surprised!

We've been involved with a few probates this year. The early ones (Jan-Mar) seemed to be pretty quick, just a couple of months, but it's been drastically slower over Summer and still waiting for ones we submitted in May/June! None particularly complex.

When rang up the other day they are 16 weeks . My case has been there since May. It’s absolute joke .

Death in September, probate granted 8 days after we sent the forms off.

Large complex estate. Death November 24. Probate applied for end of July. Took 5 weeks. IHT has been payable. Estate handled by a solicitor even though I was an executor.

Meant to add it is is clear that an online application is processed quicker than a paper form according to the website. Ours was an online application

Probate applied for online, Oct 19th. Very simple estate, some savings, no property as in nursing home, well below IHT threshold. Letter to say probate granted came Monday 10th Nov.

Person died 6th June, I think I sent IHT400 late July. Tax not payable but it was very close and possibly large judgemental figure included as liability of estate (not estimate but rather a question of how rule should be interpreted). Had the unique code via email 14 August. Received probate mid September. Last day for HMRC to ask questions on IHT400 was 11th Nov so theoretically all done now.

Applied online in July, simple estate, no inheritance tax, only one of the 3 executors was applying for probate and it was granted about 3 weeks later!

Thank you for your responses. It seems there is no pattern to it.

Nine days for me once we had the code from HMRC, having paid the IHT.

Still waiting for Grant of Administration applied for in April but an unusual situation: Parent died intestate in Feb 24, Solicitors applying to replace myself and sibling who would have been jointly entitled to apply but sibling has severe mh and drug addiction so is not able. Both of us being removed by Probate Court in favour of Solicitors but process is ridiculously slow.

I second this. Online applications are taking a couple of weeks. Paper applications seem to be disappearing into a black hole sometimes!

If you are trying to sell a property, you can request it to be expedited.