Death certificate (if this is not available, the Interim Coroner’s Certificate) A Will, if one exists.  Proof of your identity: your passport, driving license or residency card Proof of your address. A recent utility bill is preferred, but a council tax bill is also acceptable. If you don’t have either of these, a credit card, bank or building society statement issued in the last 3 months will also be accepted.

In England and Wales, there’s a Probate Registry fee of £273 and copies of the Grant of Probate cost £1.50 each. You may also choose to place a ‘Deceased Estate Notice’ in The Gazette to avoid being personally liable for any estate creditors that come forward at a later date. The cost of advertising starts from about £80. In Scotland, the court fee is tiered: Free for estates worth less than £50,000 £276 for estates worth £50,000-£250,000 £554 for estates over £250,000   There is also a £20 fee to appoint an executor and a special type of insurance policy [...]

Typical solicitors charge using hourly rates of between £250 and £300 per hour (plus VAT!), working out on average between 2% and 5% of the gross estate value. Usually you won’t get the bill until after the process.

As part of being an executor, you are required to work out and report the value of the estate, including estimating the value at date of death of any savings and investments, property, debts and other liabilities. The main reason for doing this is to find out if the estate owes any Inheritance Tax. You’ll also need the figures if you need to apply for probate. Not sure if you need probate? Use our free tool to find out