A petition has been initiated with the aim of enhancing The Probate Registry Service in response to persistent delays and extended waiting periods.
Steve Pett, representing The Probate Department, has launched this petition with the goal of compelling the Government to conduct a thorough review of the probate registry’s operations. The objective is to identify and implement measures that will enhance its user-friendliness.
This initiative follows the recent release of probate delay data by HM Courts & Tribunals. According to the data for July 2023, out of the 22,922 grants of probate issued, the average duration from submission to grant was 14 weeks. This marks an increase from the June 2023 figure, which stood at 13.9 weeks. The statistics underscore the pressing need for a comprehensive assessment and potential improvements to address these delays.
Pett said that said over the last few years, he has been picking up more and more calls from people who can get no response from the Probate Registry. He continued:
“As the waiting time before they will even talk to executors has accelerated from 8 to 16 to (rumour has it soon 22 weeks) the level of extremely frustrated executors has grown from a steady stream to a flooding river. Cutting out 90% of the issues is a simple as updating executors every 4 weeks- not a lot to ask, as most will be ‘we still haven’t even looked at your application!’
So I decided it really needed to be brought to the attention of MPs that at least one agency was unfamiliar with modern service standards and could save a mass of time and resources for themselves and enhance their reputation with the bereaved an professionals.”
One Response
Whilst I wholeheartedly support this I have to say that unfortunately I won’t be holding my breath. We have had direct communication with two Justice Ministers, 4 MPs and various senior people at HMCTS over the last 3 years, which have brought no discernible change. Good luck!