Probate Fee Increase

An expert in wills and probates has said that controversial Government changes to probate fees 'could be seen' as a tax aimed at the wealthy.

The new fees represent a dramatic increase on the current costs to secure the necessary probate documentation after a family member's death, rising from a maximum of £215 to £6,000 for an estate of more than £2 million.

A sliding scale system is applied as estates get smaller but the decision has been met with disapproval across the board, including from leading lawyer Lorna Payne, a private wealth specialist at Leamington Spa firm Wright Hassall.

On introducing the changes, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Justice, Lucy Frazer QC MP, said the extra cash would go towards helping to fund the court system, which is currently the subject of a £1 billion modernisation investment.

Lorna argued to the contrary saying: "The new fees aren't supposed to be a tax but could be seen as one."

"The work involved in dealing with the application for a grant doesn't appear to e influenced by the value of the estate and so it...

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