Wills and Probate FAQs

< All Topics
Print

What are the stages of probate?

Probate is the process of dealing with a deceased person’s estate, including any money, debt, property or assets. The probate process in the UK can be divided into several stages.

  • First, the death needs to be registered, and you need to discover if there is a will and notify any trustees or beneficiaries.
  • Next, you need to investigate the assets and complete an inheritance tax form before applying for probate.
  • You’ll also need to alert all organisations, including banks and utility companies, that the deceased had a relationship with.
  • Any outstanding debt will need to be paid if the deceased had any money left and equally, any life insurance plans will need to be claimed.
  • Once you’ve handled the financial situation after the death, you can then value the estate, including money in banks, property, investments and personal possessions, before dividing the inheritance as instructed in the will.
Previous What are the disadvantages of probate?
Next What do I need to do before probate?