Probate Service in Crisis

An inquiry was launched by the House of Commons Justice Select Committee to look into the issues. Unfortunately, the committee was disbanded, and the inquiry suspended, when the General Election was called.

Despite the inquiry being halted and the fees to apply for probate being increased, the issues within the probate service remain unchanged.

The Association of Lifetime Lawyers continue to highlight the issues with the probate service to demand better for clients.

In place of a full report, committee chair, Sir Robert Neill KC MP, wrote to Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice, Mike Freer MP to highlight its findings. The recommendations for reform are highlighted below:

• A public report detailing the reasons for the failures to prevent future issues.
• Collaboration with relevant groups to tackle problems like empty homes and care home debt linked to probate delays.
• Increased transparency through sharing more data on caseloads and processing times.
• Regulating the Will writing sector to protect consumers – many Will writers aren’t currently regulated so it’s always safest to seek advice from a qualified lawyer.