PRICING
Our costs are calculated on an hourly rate basis. Hourly rates are dependent on a lawyer’s qualifications and experience.
Our hourly rates are:
| Job role | Price per hour | 20% VAT | Total per hour |
| Head of Department (Partner) | £305.00 to £365.00 | £61.00 to £73.00 | £366.00 to £438.00 |
| Partner | £305.00 to £365.00 | £61.00 to £73.00 | £366.00 to £438.00 |
| Senior Associate | £300.00 to £310.00 | £60.00 to £62.00 | £360.00 to £372.00 |
| Associate | £265.00 to £285.00 | £53.00 to £57.00 | £318.00 to £342.o0 |
| Solicitor | £250.00 to £305.00 | £50.00 to £61.00 | £300.00 to £366.00 |
Hourly rates are exclusive of VAT. We charge VAT at 20%.
We are required by law to obtain satisfactory evidence of the identity of our clients and the persons connected to them. In certain circumstances, we may also require evidence to establish the source of funds paid to us during your retainer. We pass on this cost to you as a client onboarding fee. Our client onboarding fees are:
| Fee | 20% VAT | Total Fee (including VAT) | |
| Individuals | £15.00 | £3.00 | £18.00 |
| Other types of businesses | £41.67 | £8.33 | £50.00 |
| Legal entity | £100.00 | £20.00 | £120.00 |
| Legal entity (non-UK jurisdiction) | £137.00 | £28.00 | £165.00 |
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as court fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process. This list is not exhaustive and other disbursements may apply:
| Type | Amount | 20% VAT | Total |
| Probate application fee | £300.00 | n/a | £300.00 |
| Sealed copies of the Grant cost | £1.50 each | n/a | £1.50 each |
| Bankruptcy-only land charges department searches | £2.00 per beneficiary | n/a | £2.00 per beneficiary |
| Trustee Act Notice in the London Gazette
(this protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors) |
£91.00 | £18.20 | £109.20 |
| Trustee Act Notice in a local newspaper
(this also helps to protect against unexpected claims) |
£150.00 | £30.00 | £180.00 |
Our charges are based on the complexity of the estate and on two factors:
Here is an example of the costs to administer an estate for a property worth £150,000.00 and assets to the value of £50,000.00. The matter has been allocated to a solicitor (hourly rate of £240.00 per hour plus VAT). We anticipate the estate will take approximately 10 hours of work.
| Amount | 20% VAT | Total | |
| Solicitor’s legal costs | £2,400.00 | £480.00 | £2,880.00 |
| 0.5% of the gross value of a property of £150,000.00 | £750.00 | £150.00 | £900.00 |
| 1.0% of the gross value of all other assets of £50,000.00 | £500.00 | £100.00 | £600.00 |
| Client onboarding fees (per legal entity) | £15.00 to £137.00 | £3.00 to £28.00 | £18.00 to £165.00 |
| Total disbursements (including counsel’s fees) | £544.50 | £48.20 | £592.20 |
| Grand total | £4,209.50 to £4,331.50 | £781.20 to £806.20 | £4,990.20 to £5,137.20 |
The cost estimate above is for estates where:
The exact costs will depend on the individual circumstances of the matter. For example, if there is one beneficiary and no property, costs will be at the lower end of the range. If there are multiple beneficiaries, a property and multiple bank accounts, costs will be at the higher end.
Various complications could mean there would be additional costs that could vary significantly depending on the estate and how it is to be dealt with. We can give you a more accurate quote once we have more information, but some common complications are set out below:
The services included are:
On average, estates that fall within this range are dealt with within three to six months. Typically, obtaining the grant of probate takes between 16 and 22 weeks. Collecting the assets then follows, which can take between 2 and 6 weeks.
Once this has been done, we can distribute the assets, which normally takes between 2 and 4 weeks. If the property is to be sold rather than transferred, this may mean the time taken to deal with the total estate will be longer.
We offer a fixed fee service for clients seeking assistance with the Grant of Probate application.
| Fixed fee | 20% VAT | Total | |
| No HMRC form IHT400* | £1,250.00 | £250.00 | £1,500.00 |
| HMRC form IHT400, but no tax payable* | £3,000.00 | £600.00 | £3,600.00 |
| HMRC form IHT400, with tax payable* | £4,000.00 | £800.00 | £4,800.00 |
*Where we are arranging the payment of Inheritance Tax, this work will be carried out on an hourly rate basis in addition to the above.
We are required by law to obtain satisfactory evidence of the identity of our clients and the persons connected to them. In certain circumstances, we may also require evidence to establish the source of funds paid to us during your retainer. We pass on this cost to you as a client onboarding fee. Our client onboarding fees are:
| Fee | 20% VAT | Total Fee (including VAT) | |
| Individuals | £15.00 | £3.00 | £18.00 |
| Other types of businesses | £41.67 | £8.33 | £50.00 |
| Legal entity | £100.00 | £20.00 | £120.00 |
| Legal entity (non-UK jurisdiction) | £137.00 | £28.00 | £165.00 |
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as court fees. We may ask you to pay these disbursements directly.
| Type | Amount |
| Probate Court fee | £300.00 |
| Sealed copy of the Grant | £1.50 per sealed copy |
| Bankruptcy-only land charges department searches | £2.00 per beneficiary |
| Total legal fees | £1,500 to £4,800.00 |
| Client onboarding fees (per legal entity) | £18.00 to £165.00 |
| Total disbursements | £303.50 |
| Total | £1,821.50 to £5,268.50 |
As part of our fixed fee, we will:
On average, estates that fall within this range are dealt with within 16 and 22 weeks of us receiving all of the information we require from you.
PEOPLE
For details of members of the team who may work on your matter please view our people page.
SERVICES
On Monday 29 September, Flint Bishop successfully completed the acquisition of the entire business of Lupton Fawcett LLP. You have been forwarded to the page most relevant to your visit.
Please feel free to explore our website and learn more about our legal services and professionals, including those who have recently joined us from Lupton Fawcett.