What is Probate?

Probate is a term which can be used to describe the administration of an estate (an "estate" here means the property and affairs of a deceased person), but is also used to refer to a Grant of Probate document.

A Grant of Probate (often referred to as the "Grant") is the legal document which confirms the people who are responsible for the estate administration and that the will (and any additional amendments to the will known as "codicils") are the last and final wishes of the person who has died. Once the Grant has been produced by the Probate Registry, it can be used to show banks, investment companies and other places where the deceased had assets, that the people they are dealing with are the ones with the legal responsibility for administering the estate. Not all estates require a Grant.

If there is no will, or the Executors named in the will are not applying for the Grant, then a Grant of Letters of Administration is applied for instead. There are lots of different types of Grant depending on the circumstances, so please do get in touch so that we can advise on your specific situation.