It has been just over a week since the House of Commons’ Fourteenth Delegated Legislation Committee sat to consider the case for the statutory instrument (SI) that will change the current non-contentious probate fees from a fixed amount to a sliding scale.
Having deliberated and debated the issue, the committee narrowly voted in the proposed changes to probate fees by nine votes to eight.
This was the final stage in the process that started on November 5th last year and will mean that the fees will increase as proposed unless a formal objection is lodged in Parliament.
Many believe that the huge increase in fees, that will rise incrementally from £250 up to £6,000, amounts to a tax on death, with the value of your property determining the amount you are liable to pay.
Now it seems the Labour Party are set to join the House of Lords, various charitable organisations and The Law Society in their disapproval of the fees changes.
According to the Gazette, a source working alongside Richard Burgon, shadow justice secretary, has claimed that the Labour Party have every intention of triggering a full parliamentary vote by formally objecting to the non-contentious probate fee statutory instrument.
It has also been speculated that Gloria De Piero, a shadow justice colleague of Richard Burgon, who has openly called the proposals a ‘tax on grieving families’ and was a member of the Fourteenth Delegated Legislation Committee to vote against the SI last week.
Although this may be viewed as a last roll of the dice for those in opposition of the controversial proposals, it may be welcome relief for many people that have larger estates because of the property assets they hold rather than cash savings.
Do these proposals warrant a parliamentary vote before being approved?
One Response
yes it does this a tax on death if a labour government had proposed this there would be hell on it must be stopped