The government has announced that probate application processing times have halved, offering a boost to charities receiving legacy income.
Figures published by HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) on Friday show that the average waiting times from the submission of a probate application to it being granted halved in the six months to December 2024.
Overall waiting times fell to just over four weeks in December 2024, the figures show, down from eight and a half weeks in June 2024 and 12 weeks in December 2023.
HMCTS attributed the decrease to the additional staff it previously recruited “who have been trained to handle applications quickly and ensure fair and efficient processing, preventing delays”.
James Stebbings, chair of the Institute of Legacy Management (ILM) said the “relief in the charity sector that this income is flowing again is huge”.
Outstanding cases at lowest point since early 2023
HMCTS said around 80% of grant applications are now completed online, “with digital applications taking on average just over two weeks to complete”.
On average, for people who complete the application online and submit their documents without issues, probate can be granted in less than a week.
Last year, HMCTS issued 27,400 grants every month on average, a 20% increase compared with the previous year.
“As a result, the number of outstanding cases is at its lowest point since early 2023 when data was first published,” it said.
“The probate system has achieved a remarkable turnaround, reducing its backlog by over 50,000 cases since August 2023 and ensuring faster estate settlements for families.”
For charities, this means that they now have quicker access to funds that have been entrusted to them, “easing financial pressure on the third sector”, HMCTS said.
Probate income ‘flowing again’
Stebbings of the ILM said: “We’re delighted to see that HMCTS have reduced probate application processing times to where they were five years ago.
“Each year the public leave charities £4bn of gifts in their wills and the relief in the charity sector that this income is flowing again is huge.
“On behalf of the charity sector and all who benefit from it, we’d like to say a huge thank you.”
Alex McDowell, vice chair of Remember A Charity, said: “With more and more people across the UK choosing to support good causes through their wills each year, an efficient and effective probate service is vital for sustaining charitable services and charities’ financial planning.
“It ensures charitable gifts in wills can be put to good use swiftly, in line with supporters’ wishes.
“We’re hugely grateful to HMCTS for the improvements they have made and their ongoing engagement with the charity sector.”
Minister: ‘We’ve worked hard to reduce delays’
Sarah Sackman, minister for courts and legal services, said: “We know that handling probate can be tough for families at a difficult period in their lives.
“That is why so we’ve worked hard to reduce delays and make the process easier.
“By cutting wait times and going digital, we’re ensuring people receive the support they need quickly at what can be a challenging time.
“We’re getting public services back on their feet again as part of this government’s plan for change.”
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