Wills and probate solicitors
SRA-regulated firms that list wills and probate on their profile. Read verified client reviews and message a firm without an account.
The firms below list wills and probate on their profile. We do not quote a typical price: fees vary by firm and by matter, so ask for a written quote and compare the fee table on each profile where a firm has published one.
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Making a will, and dealing with an estate
You can write your own will, but GOV.UK advises getting advice if it is not straightforward. Owning a business or property abroad, having children from more than one relationship, or wanting to provide for someone who cannot manage money are common reasons to ask a solicitor. A solicitor also stores the original safely and can act as executor if you want them to.
For a will to be valid in England and Wales you must be 18 or over, make it voluntarily, be of sound mind, put it in writing, and sign it in front of 2 witnesses aged over 18 who then sign it in front of you. A witness, or their husband, wife or civil partner, cannot inherit anything under the will (GOV.UK).
Probate is the right to deal with the estate of someone who has died. Executors can apply themselves, and GOV.UK says that in some situations you should speak to a probate practitioner, such as a solicitor, instead. Where Inheritance Tax is due, it has to be reported before you can apply. If a firm offers probate for uncontested estates with all assets in the UK, SRA rules require it to publish its prices (SRA).
What to ask a firm
- Ask who will do the work and who supervises it
- Ask for a written quote or estimate, with what is and is not included, before anything starts
- Ask how often you will get updates and by what route
- Check the firm and the solicitor on the SRA register
Fees
Each firm sets its own fees. Where a firm has published a fee table it appears on its profile.Read our plain-English guidesFirms that do wills and probate
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Questions people ask
Do I need a solicitor for probate?
Not always. Many executors apply online themselves, and GOV.UK notes that applying yourself can be cheaper than paying a probate practitioner such as a solicitor. A solicitor is worth considering if the estate includes a business or property abroad, Inheritance Tax is due, the will is unclear, or someone may challenge it. Our guide below goes through the choice.
How much do solicitors charge for probate?
Firms charge either a fixed fee for set stages or an hourly rate, and a few charge a percentage of the estate. Firms that offer uncontested probate must publish their prices and say what is included (SRA), so compare those figures. The court's own application fee is set out separately on GOV.UK.
What happens if someone dies without a will?
The law decides who inherits, under what are called the intestacy rules (GOV.UK). The closest living relative can usually apply to deal with the estate. Unmarried partners have no automatic right to inherit, which is one of the commonest reasons people make a will.
How do I change my will?
Either add an official alteration, called a codicil, or make a new will. Both must be signed and witnessed in the same way as the original (GOV.UK). Crossing out or writing on the signed will does not change it.
Sources and further reading: GOV.UK: make sure your will is legal; GOV.UK: applying for probate; SRA: transparency in price and service; GOV.UK: who inherits if someone dies without a will; Our guide: do you need a solicitor for probate?.