Grieving families 直面する 引き上げ(る) in probate 料金s to £300?- にもかかわらず three month waits for 認めるs

Probate delays: Average wait for a paper or digital application to be processed is 13.7 weeks, according to official figures

Probate 延期するs: 普通の/平均(する) wait for a paper or 数字表示式の 使用/適用 to be 過程d is 13.7 weeks, によれば 公式の/役人 人物/姿/数字s

Probate 料金s are to to be 引き上げ(る)d 10 per cent to £300, as families wait nearly more than three months on 普通の/平均(する) for this 決定的な step to be 完全にするd after a bereavement.

The 普通の/平均(する) 使用/適用 time is little changed in 最近の months at 13.7 weeks.

That has 縮めるd since the almost four months probate took last autumn, によれば the 最新の 公式の/役人 人物/姿/数字s.

However, the number of 事例/患者s taking six months or more 急に上がるd 112 per cent between 2020 and 2023, によれば 人物/姿/数字s 得るd from the 政府 under a freedom of (警察などへの)密告,告訴(状) request by 財政上の 会社/堅い Quilter.

And lawyers 報告(する)/憶測 使用/適用 times are now 'a bit of a 宝くじ' and they can't give people a certa in answer on how long the 過程 will take.

適用するing for probate is an important step to 伸び(る) 支配(する)/統制する over an 広い地所 after someone dies, 許すing executors to 接近 bank accounts, settle 負債s and sort out bequests.

But lawyers and other 相続物件 professionals have (人命などを)奪う,主張するd (死が)奪い去るd families are 苦しむing hardship and house sales are 落ちるing through 予定 to probate 延期するs.

A damning 報告(する)/憶測 手渡すd to MPs, who are 調査/捜査するing long waits experienced by 親族s sorting out 広い地所s, (刑事)被告 the 政府's probate service of 存在 error-傾向がある and 欠如(する)ing in experienced staff.

一方/合間, the 政府 計画(する)s to 増加する 料金s from £273 to £300 from next month. The last 増加する was 27 per cent in January 2022.

Probate 料金s are waived for 広い地所s 価値(がある) no more than £5,000, but さもなければ a flat 料金 is 適用するd.

That is after a 議論の的になる 計画(する) to introduce a 事情に応じて変わる 規模 - which would have 課すd rises of up to 9,200 per cent on the largest 広い地所s - was dropped after a (激しい)反発 a few years ago.

> Are you executor to a will? Read our guide to 適用するing for probate and scroll 負かす/撃墜する for その上の 専門家 tips

Source: Quilter, which analysed official figures obtained under a freedom of information request

Source: Quilter, which analysed 公式の/役人 人物/姿/数字s 得るd under a freedom of (警察などへの)密告,告訴(状) request

'It’s a bit of a 宝くじ how long any particular 使用/適用 now takes before the probate is 認めるd,' says Jo Summers, a spokesperson for the STEP organisation for 相続物件 professionals, who gave 証拠 and suggestions for 改良s to MPs at a 最近の 審理,公聴会.

'More コンビナート/複合体 使用/適用s, 特に those done on paper, definitely take longer than the simpler 数字表示式の 使用/適用s. However, you can also send two 類似の 使用/適用s at the same time and one takes far longer than the other.

'There is no 確かな answer we can give people when they ask us how long the 過程 will take.

How to be a successful executor and 勝利,勝つ 補償(金) from bungling banks and 商売/仕事s?

In a three-part series, retired 裁判官 Stephen Gold explains the 失望させるing 過程 that 結局 saw him 軍隊 a string of banks, 財政/金融 会社/堅いs and 会・原則s - 含むing the probate service - to 支払う/賃金 補償(金).

After 首尾よく 追加するing many hundreds of 続けざまに猛撃するs more to his late aunt's 広い地所, he 申し込む/申し出s a guide to follow for any readers 直面するing the ordeal of sorting out a 死んだ loved one's 財政/金融s.?

>?How to 生き残る 存在 an executor

'Some practitioners have received probates 支援する within two to four weeks. There was even a remarkable 事例/患者 where probate (機の)カム 支援する after nine days. Others, 一方/合間, are still を待つing a 返答 from the Probate Registry 18 weeks after とじ込み/提出するing.

'It’s worse in 事例/患者s where the 使用/適用 is from a 信用 company or where the executors have 任命するd someone to 行為/法令/行動する as their 弁護士/代理人/検事 in 得るing the probate.'

Summers says the best シナリオ now would be a 保証(人)d period for probate even if it was longer, as this would be much better than the 完全にする 不確定 over タイミング at 現在の.

Regarding the 未解決の rise in the 告発(する),告訴(する)/料金 to £300, she 追加するs: 'With the 抱擁する backlog of unprocessed 使用/適用s in the system, 重要な 不確定 and inconsistency around when probate is likely to be 認めるd and (死が)奪い去るd families in 財政上の and emotional limbo, it may not be the best time to be 増加するing 料金s.'

Shaun Moore, 税金 and 財政上の planning 専門家 at Quilter, says: 'In the 中央 of grief, executors ― often の近くに 肉親,親類 or friends ― 直面する the 追加するd 重荷(を負わせる) of navigating the probate maze. The 増加するing length of time it is taking the probate service to 認める probate will just 追加する to the 強調する/ストレス of the 過程.

'With probate wait times 急に上がるing, the emotional (死傷者)数 強めるs. にもかかわらず there 存在 an 増加する in the number of people submitting their paperwork digitally it is (疑いを)晴らす that the probate service is struggling to keep up with the workload 原因(となる)ing these longer wait times.

'This can have 抱擁する ramifications for a family. It is natural that more コンビナート/複合体 広い地所s will take longer for probate to be 認めるd but the 増加するs in wait times across the board is 原因(となる) for 関心.'

The 省 of 司法(官) was asked for comment but did not 答える/応じる by the time of 出版(物).?

> EIGHT ways probate 延期するs can 原因(となる) problems for grieving families - see below

How do you make probate 使用/適用s go 滑らかに?

Shaun Moore of Quilter gives the に引き続いて tips.

- Having your 広い地所 as organised as possible is the best course of 活動/戦闘. This can 含む making a will, using 信用s, and moving 資産s out of the 広い地所 so that they’re not part of the probate 過程.

- For example, you can place life 保険 政策s in 信用. Upon death, the life 保険 利益s are paid to the trustees and can be 分配するd, 事前の to probate, as per the 条件 of the 信用.

Got a 税金 question??

Heather Rogers, 創立者 and owner of Aston Accountancy, is This is Money's 税金 columnist.

She?answers your questions on any 税金 topic - 税金 codes, 相続物件 税金, 所得税, 資本/首都 伸び(る)s 税金, and much more.

Check out her previous columns to see if she has already solved your 税金 conundrum.?

Or, you can 令状 to Heather at taxquestions@thisismoney.co.uk.

?

- Lifetime gifts 除去する an 資産 from your 広い地所 for probate 目的s but a gift made seven years 事前の to your passing may also help 減ずる any 相続物件 税金 義務/負債.

- To 適用する for 認める of probate you will need the 死んだ’s 初めの will and death 証明書, and to find out the total value of the 死んだ's 資産s and 義務/負債s.

What 衝撃 do probate 延期するs have on families?

Quilter 警告するs long waits for probate can have the に引き続いて 逆の 影響s.

財政上の 緊張する: When probate is 延期するd, the 死んだ's 資産s, 含むing bank accounts, remain frozen. This can 妨げる 受益者s from 接近ing 基金s they may be relying on for living expenses, creating 財政上の 強調する/ストレス.

所有物/資産/財産 and 資産 管理/経営: 所有物/資産/財産s that remain in the 死んだ's 指名する cannot be sold or 適切に managed without probate. This can lead to 問題/発行するs such as homes 落ちるing into disrepair, 価値低下 of 所有物/資産/財産 value, or 行方不明になるd 適切な時期s to sell 資産s at a favourable time.

投資 危険s: 投資s held by the 死んだ cannot be managed or reallocated without probate. This inaction can lead to 行方不明になるd 投資 適切な時期s or losses if the 投資s depreciate in value during the 延期する.

税金 義務/負債s: 広い地所s are いつかs 支配する to さまざまな 税金s, such as 相続物件 税金, 所得税, or 資本/首都 伸び(る)s 税金, depending on the 裁判権. 延期するs in probate can lead to late 支払い(額) 刑罰,罰則s or 利益/興味 告発(する),告訴(する)/料金s. その上に, executors might 行方不明になる 最終期限s for 税金 advantages 予定 to 延期するs.

配当 延期するs: 受益者s waiting to receive their 相続物件 may 直面する 財政上の or personal difficulties. 延期するs can 緊張する family 関係s, 特に if 受益者s feel the 過程 is not 存在 managed efficiently.

合法的な challenges: 長引かせるd 延期するs in probate might lead to 増加するd chances of 論争s or challenges against the will. This could その上の 延期する the 配当 of the 広い地所 and 背負い込む 付加 合法的な costs.

公共事業(料金)/有用性 法案s and 負債s: 現在進行中の expenses such as 公共事業(料金)/有用性s, 保険, and mortgages need to be paid. 延期するs can 複雑にする the 管理/経営 of these 法案s, 潜在的に 主要な to lapses in 保険 ニュース報道.

Emotional 強調する/ストレス: The period に引き続いて a death is already a difficult time for friends and family. 延期するs in the probate 過程 can 追加する to the emotional 緊張する, 長引かせるing the period of 不確定 and making it harder for everyone to find 終結.