The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) believes that all probate applications made by practitioners should be carried out online to streamline the process.
With the increased use of solicitors opting to use the online route due to the coronavirus pandemic, it is clear the archaic process needed reforming and modernising.
On the 10 August the MoJ issued details of a consultation on proposed changes to non-contentious probate rules, aimed at practitioners who submit probate applications. The anticipated changes would make submitting applications for grants of probate or letters of administration through an online process mandatory for probate professionals.
Despite a rise in the number of specialist practitioners using the online system, four out of five professional applications for grants of probate arrived in paper format in June this year.
It is “clear the process has to modernise” and online applications would speed up processing times, the MoJ said.
The Law Society will be submitting their own response to the consultation which closes on the 10 September. But you can submit your own feedback and take part by reading the consultation paper and writing to the MoJ or email your views to civil_justice_poli@justice.gov.uk.
