Probate applications now have shortest wait time in nearly a year, data reveals

The waiting time for probate applications has significantly decreased  in the number of weeks from submission to grant issue for all probate applications – decreasing from 13.7 to 11.3 weeks, according to HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS).

This marks the shortest waiting time since March of last year, which stood at 10.8 weeks. For the 28,271 grants of probate issued in March, the average timeline from submission to grant was 11.3 weeks – showing a generous decrease from February  which was 13.7, according to the data.

The waiting time is the shortest number of weeks since March last year, which was 13.9 weeks. After this time, the waiting time seemed to keep going up – resulting in a new waiting time record of 15.8 weeks which sparked concerns within the industry.

Of the 28,271 total number of grants issued, 23,515 were digital which shows that the number of digital applications is increasing – revealing the popularity of digitisation. For non-stopped applications, the average wait was 6.1 weeks, which shows that it has decreased from 7.8 weeks in February.

For stopped digital applications, delays sat 21 weeks in March – an increase from the previous month (18.6 weeks). This 21 week wait shows the longest wait for stopped digital applications since November of last year.

What’s more, the remaining 4,028 probate grants in March were issued via paper. The average wait between submission and grant for a paper application was 23.7 weeks, down from 24.5 in February. For stopped applications, the 33.9 week wait in March is up from the 32.9 weeks in the previous month.

2 responses

  1. Whilst delays in the issue of probate applications may be reducing, I am finding that delays in the issue by HMRC of the code to apply for probate are increasing.

  2. Congratulations to HMCTS (this has been unusual)
    Online application filed 21 April
    Documents sent by special delivery 22 April
    Probate issued dated 14 May, arrived by mail 16 May.
    Estate value £1.5m.

    Pleasant surprise.

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