You can apply for probate yourself, and for most estates in England and Wales, it’s a genuinely legitimate route, not a shortcut and not a workaround.
Jane Morris-Rowlinson - Probate solicitor, 23 years' experience. I built this portal after watching hundreds of executors complete probate themselves, once they had the right structure to follow.
Most executors reclaim this fee from the estate as a legitimate administration expense, in the same way a solicitor's fee would be. See the FAQ below.
Designed by a probate solicitor
Covers entire process from death to distribution
England and Wales
Lifetime access
One-off payment
Highly Commended - Innovation of the Year, Probate Indstury Awards 2026
There is no special legal category called DIY probate. The term simply describes applying for the Grant of Probate, or Letters of Administration if there’s no will, as what the Probate Registry calls a personal applicant, rather than through a solicitor.
The Probate Registry processes personal applications every working day. Same forms. Same fee. Same process as a solicitor‑led one.
"In 23 years, I have never once seen an executor's application rejected for being 'DIY'. I have seen plenty rejected for missing information, though, which is exactly what a structured process is meant to prevent."
What’s Included
This isn’t a template library or a general guide. It’s a complete, structured system that mirrors the actual legal process, stage by stage, in the order it needs to happen.
Work through the steps for guidance and advice and keep on track with our downloadable checklist.
Determine whether you're apply for Probate or Letters of Administration, what do to if executors are unwilling to act and learn about the rules of intestacy.
Contacting banks, pensions and asset holders in the right order, so you're not waiting on one while another waits on you.
Understand how to value the estate with ready-made spreadsheets to accurately calculate Inheriatnce Tax (IHT).
Working out what's owed, and what isn't, with guidance built around HMRC's current thresholds and forms.
Completing the application itself, once everything before it is in place, so it becomes the natural next step rather than a frightening starting point.
Paying debts, closing accounts and distributing what remains, with progress tracking so you always know what's left to do.
Solicitors typically charge between 1% and 5% of the estate’s value for probate work. On a £300,000 estate, that’s £3,000 to £15,000, for a process that most executors with a contained estate can manage themselves. We also offer a Grant Only Service, if you’re looking for help with the application.
Solicitor
– £15,000
DIY Probate Portal
one-off
Comparable DIY Platform
DIY probate tends to work well when the estate is relatively contained: no disputes between beneficiaries, and no unusual asset structures such as trusts, business interests, or property abroad. It also works for many estates without a will, since the Portal covers Letters of Administration too, provided there is no dispute over who should be administering the estate. See our guide on how to do probate yourself in the UK for more information.
Tends to work well
A different service fits better
What Families Say
Every review below is from a family who has used our services in England or Wales. They’re real people with real views.
We recently achieved ‘Highly Commended’ for the Innovation of the Year Award by The Probate Industry Awards, 2026.
Yes. In fact, many executors choose to handle probate themselves. Especially when the estate is relatively straightforward and there are no disputes between beneficiaries.
Probate is largely an administrative process. It involves gathering information about the deceased’s assets and liabilities, completing the relevant inheritance tax forms, and applying to the Probate Registry for the Grant of Probate.
The DIY Probate Platform was designed to guide you through this process step by step. It explains what needs to be done at each stage, provides templates and checklists, and helps you avoid common mistakes.
If you feel unsure at any point, professional support is available.
In most cases, yes. Reasonable costs of administering an estate are generally treated as a legitimate expense of the estate, in the same way a solicitor’s fee would be, and paid from the estate’s funds before the remainder is distributed.
Probate can feel overwhelming at first, particularly if you have never dealt with estate administration before. Much of the difficulty comes from not knowing where to start or what order things should be done in.
With the right structure and guidance, most executors find the process manageable.
The DIY Probate Platform breaks probate down into clear stages and explains each task in plain English. It also provides templates, downloadable resources and practical guidance to help you complete each step confidently.
Probate is usually required when someone has died leaving assets that need to be formally administered by an executor.
You will typically need probate if the deceased owned property in their sole name. However, many banks require probate for saving over £5000. Funds in bank accounts or investments cannot be released without a Grant of Probate.
However, not every estate requires probate. Smaller estates or assets held jointly may pass automatically to the surviving owner.
If you are unsure whether probate is required, you can use our Probate Checker to find out.
When you join the platform you receive access to a structured online portal designed to guide you through the probate process.
Inside the platform you will find:
Step by step guidance through the probate process
Clear explanations of inheritance tax requirements
Downloadable templates and letter templates
Spreadsheets for recording assets and liabilities
Checklists and progress tracking tools
Access to professional support if you need help
You simply work through each section at your own pace, completing tasks and marking them as complete as you go.
It’s £199.00 for lifetime access. There are no on-going subscriptions. That’s a significate saving, when compared with using a solicitor.
Many solicitors charge a percentage of the estate value for probate services, often between 1% and 5%.
For example, on a £300,000 estate this could mean legal fees of £3,000 to £15,000.
The DIY Probate Platform offers a fixed fee alternative, giving you the guidance, tools and templates you need to complete probate yourself while keeping costs under control.
Although the platform is designed to be easy to follow, probate can sometimes raise questions depending on the circumstances of the estate.
If you need reassurance or guidance, you can book a call with one of our probate specialists. We can help you understand what to do next and ensure you are moving forward with confidence.
If the estate turns out to be more complex than expected, you can also upgrade to our full probate administration service.
Free Guidance
Our guides are designed to help you get the information you need. Each one has been written by either Phil Izzard or Jane Morris-Rowlinson. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, call us.
From 13 July 2026, the probate application fee in England and Wales rises from £300 to £526, a 75% increase confirmed by the Ministry of Justice. Here’s what the change means for your estate, and what I’d genuinely recommend doing before the deadline.
A frozen bank account is usually the first wall families hit after a death. Here’s exactly what each bank will and won’t release, and when you actually need a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration.
There is no legal requirement to use a solicitor for probate in England and Wales. Most families who paid thousands of pounds for one did not need to. Here is how to know which situation you are in
You have the legal right to apply for probate yourself. What you need is the structure to do it properly, in the right order.
