Millions of people in England and Wales face a large rise in fees payable after death, to raise an extra £250m for the courts service.
The Ministry of Justice wants an increase in probate fees to as much as £20,000 for those with the biggest estates. At the moment such fees are fixed at either £155 or £215. The proposed increase has been criticised as "astronomical" by a partner of a London law firm. Grant of probate gives executors the right to distribute the proceeds of someone's will. Under the new proposals, most people - including the less wealthy - will pay less. Currently the fee is chargeable on any estate worth more than £5,000. This threshold will rise to £50,000, meaning that 57% of estates will pay nothing.....Read more here