The Probate Service
Welcome to the website dedicated to the Probate Service.
The Probate Service is part of Her Majesty's Courts Service and has main offices (Probate Registries) in London, Cardiff, Brighton, Birmingham, Bristol, Ipswich, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Oxford and Winchester. In addition to these, there are smaller offices (sub-Registries) in 18 other locations. A full list, with maps and telephone numbers is included on this site.
Perhaps the most useful leaflet on this website is the one which explains when you need a Grant of Probate. Called "How to obtain Probate - A guide for the applicant acting without a solicitor" it explains when this is required. If you wish to make a personal application for a grant of probate or administration ("a grant"), you may download a complete set of application forms which you can complete and send to the Registry of your choice. There is also a link to HMRC Inheritance Tax where you will find all the help you need to complete the required forms for HM Revenue & Customs. By doing this, you do not need to contact your local registry and wait until the forms are sent to you in the post. Unfortunately, at the moment it is not possible to send in completed forms electronically.
But this is not all. We have leaflets for you to read or download telling you about the other services we offer. In addition, there are leaflets on standing searches (when you want to be sent a copy of a grant and will as soon as it issues) or how to enter and renew a caveat (when you want to prevent a will being proved or a grant from issuing). If you want to know how to obtain a copy of a will which has been proved or a grant which has already issued or if you want to lodge your own will with the Probate Service for safe keeping, you can find the information here.
The Probate Service cannot give you legal advice or help you find out whether you have been left anything in a will. Neither will you be able to trace your family history or (at the moment) participate in any interactive services. That will follow but for the moment, what you will find is a comprehensive list of application forms, leaflets, guidance on how you can obtain copies of wills and grants of probate or administration and other related matters which, we hope, will enable you to use one of the many services we provide.
The Probate Service only administers England and Wales there are separate processes for applying for probate in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
But this is only the start. Over the coming months we will be adding information which will be of interest to all but especially to our professional users. We will be able to let you know straight away of anything which will affect the way in which you use our services. In addition, every probate registry will have its own page where such matters as the availability of appointments at probate offices, closing times, new addresses, telephone numbers etc. will be set out.
All this will happen within the next 12 months - meanwhile, please make the fullest use of our present facilities.
If you have comments about the Probate Service please contact Ade Ojo the Customer Service Officer.
28.1.05
The Government will waive probate fees for families of tsunami victims and help cut through legal red tape so that financial affairs are settled quickly, Constitutional Affairs Secretary Lord Falconer announced today. Families of people missing as a result of the disaster should be able to obtain probate shortly if they are able to show evidence that the person was in the region at the time.