Probate waiting times halved thanks to Government push

Families, individuals, and charities will receive funds left to them in wills twice as quickly as they did last year, with probate applications now being granted in less than half the time.

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The data published on 13th if February shows that HMCTS has slashed average wait times in December 2024 to just over four weeks. This compares to twelve weeks at the end of 2023 and over eight weeks at the end of June 2024. The improvement is a result of decisive Government action to reduce the backlog of cases which built up because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Around 80 per cent of grant applications are now completed online, with digital applications taking on average just over two weeks to complete – improving support for those who need it and easing the burden on people who are navigating what is often a challenging time. For those who complete the application online and submit their documents without any issues probate is granted in less than a week on average.

Minister for Courts and Legal Services, Sarah Sackman KC MP, said: 

We know that handling probate can be tough for families at a difficult period in their lives. That is why so we’ve worked hard to reduce delays and make the process easier. By cutting wait times and going digital, we’re ensuring people receive the support they need quickly at what can be a challenging time. We’re getting public services back on their feet again as part of this Government’s Plan for Change.

The change comes after action was taken to recruit extra staff who have been trained to handle applications quickly and ensure fair and efficient processing, preventing delays.

In 2024, the average number of monthly grants issued was 27,400, marking a 20 per cent increase compared to the previous year. As a result, the number of outstanding cases is at its lowest point since early 2023 when data was first published.

The probate system has achieved a remarkable turnaround, reducing its backlog by over 50,000 cases since August 2023 and ensuring faster estate settlements for families.

Charities also benefit from a more efficient probate system because they now have quicker access to funds which have been entrusted to them – easing financial pressure on the third sector.

Even paper applications, which historically take longer to process than the digital system, have seen significant improvements in timeliness with waiting times reducing from just over 22 weeks to under 15 weeks.

James Stebbings, Chair of the Institute of Legacy Management, said:

We are delighted to see that HMCTS have reduced probate application processing times to where they were 5 years ago. Each year the public leave charities £4bn of gifts in their wills and the relief in the charity sector that this income is flowing again is huge.On behalf of the charity sector and all who benefit from it we would like to say a huge thank you.

Alex McDowell, Vice Chair of Remember A Charity and Director of Fundraising at the Duke of Edinburgh Award, said: 

With more and more people across the UK choosing to support good causes through their Wills each year, an efficient and effective probate service is vital for sustaining charitable services and charities’ financial planning.It ensures charitable gifts in wills can be put to good use swiftly, in line with supporters’ wishes. We are hugely grateful to HMCTS for the improvements they have made and their ongoing engagement with the charity sector.

source: GOV