Applying for a grant of probate: information to gather

A probate application should be prepared from an established will and asset record, not from rough figures assembled while filling in the form. In England and Wales, HMCTS provides different application routes depending on whether there is a will. ^[1]

Resolve applicant details first

Check the deceased person's names, death details and original will with every codicil. Identify the executors who will apply and the position of anyone who will not. Differences in names or a damaged original may need explanation; do not alter the document to make it match the form.

Record the applicants' contact details carefully and agree who will receive correspondence. If foreign wills or assets exist, flag them before assuming the ordinary online route is appropriate.

Align the tax and probate information

Confirm whether full Inheritance Tax reporting is required and what HMRC reference or confirmation must be available before applying. ^[1] Use the same underlying valuation evidence while recognising that different forms may ask for different totals.

Check the submission, retain copies and record which originals were sent. Respond to a requisition by addressing the specific question rather than submitting a new conflicting account. Asset and debt records supports the figures; letters of administration covers the no-will appointment question.

Check the applicant route against the actual documents Start with the original will and codicils, the death information and the people appointed to administer the estate. Confirm who will apply and why any other named executor will not. A person's absence, refusal or inability may require a different explanation or document, so do not select a form answer merely to remove them from the application. HMCTS guidance describes the options and circumstances that need to be addressed where executors are not all applying together. [2]

Check names carefully against the will, death record and identity information. Explain aliases, spelling differences or a change of surname with the relevant evidence rather than altering an original document to make everything look identical. If the will is damaged, has missing pages or refers to an unavailable codicil, raise that before submission. A discrepancy that is visible and explained can be assessed; one concealed through an informal amendment can create a more serious uncertainty about the document being relied on.

Establish which tax information must precede the application Use the estate valuation to determine the applicable reporting route with appropriate advice where needed. For estates requiring full IHT400 reporting, the current official application guidance also identifies the need to start paying any tax due and wait for HMRC's unique code before applying. Do not confuse a reference generated during an earlier enquiry with confirmation that the required stage has been completed. Retain the actual HMRC correspondence and link it to the estate file. [1]

Check that the probate figures and tax material are based on the same underlying evidence, while recognising that different questions can require different totals. A figure relating to the gross estate is not interchangeable with a net or qualifying value. If an asset is jointly owned or passes outside the will, explain its treatment rather than omitting it from every calculation automatically. Ask the adviser to reconcile an apparent discrepancy before copying a convenient total from an unrelated summary.

Prepare a submission that can be checked and tracked Use the current official route for the estate and review the completed answers before sending them. Keep a copy of the application, supporting information and any declarations made. Record originals dispatched, the method used and the reference under which they were sent. Where co-executors are involved, ensure the relevant information has been agreed and that the person handling correspondence knows who must review a substantive query before a response is submitted.

Check the current fee and any available help-with-fees process at the point of application rather than relying on an old example. If using a practitioner, distinguish the court fee from the professional's charges and other expenses. Ask what work the engagement covers, including responses to additional questions. A service described as assistance with the application may not include all estate administration, tax work or a dispute about the will. Clear scope helps avoid an unassigned task after papers have been submitted.

Answer further questions without creating a second inconsistent account If HMCTS asks for clarification, identify the precise question and the evidence needed to answer it. Keep the query, response and attachments together. Explain a corrected figure or new fact explicitly rather than submitting a replacement document with no indication of what changed. Where the question concerns execution, capacity or entitlement to apply, obtain advice appropriate to that issue rather than treating it as a routine spelling correction.

When the grant arrives, check the names, date and relevant details against the application and raise any apparent error promptly. Retain it through a suitable custody arrangement and establish which institutions require copies. The grant permits the administration to move forward within its legal effect; it does not confirm that all debts, tax or beneficiary claims have been resolved. Keep the remaining estate tasks visible so completion of the application is not mistaken for completion of the entire administration.