Important: For general educational information only. This is not legal, tax or financial advice, and reading it does not create a professional-client relationship. Laws and procedures vary by jurisdiction and can change. Consult a qualified professional in each place relevant to you and your assets before making decisions.
First identify which application route the official guide describes
The GOV.UK probate application guide says that, for an application by post, the form depends on whether the person left a will: PA1P is for a will and PA1A is for no will. That distinction is a useful prompt to locate any will and later documents before starting an application; it does not establish whether a particular person is entitled to apply or whether a grant is needed.
The same guide offers online and postal routes. If a family is unsure whether a document is a will, whether it is complete, or who may apply, pause and ask a qualified practitioner rather than selecting a form based on this summary.
Questions to bring to an adviser
- Has an original will or any later codicil been located?
- Does the official guide's will/no-will distinction fit the known facts?
- Is there uncertainty about who may apply or what grant is needed?
Keep estate valuation and tax reporting as a separate workstream
Before applying online, GOV.UK says the applicant must estimate the estate's value to find out whether Inheritance Tax is due. For an estate that is not 'excepted', the page says full details of assets, debts, gifts, reliefs and exemptions must be submitted to HMRC using form IHT400 before applying; it also describes starting any tax payment due and waiting for HMRC's unique code.
Those are official process prompts, not a tax calculation or a conclusion that a given estate is excepted. Keep valuations and supporting records together, and check the current GOV.UK and HMRC instructions for the actual circumstances before submitting anything.
Questions to bring to an adviser
- What information supports the estate valuation?
- Have assets, debts, gifts and any possible reliefs been identified for review?
- Does the current HMRC guidance say that an IHT400 submission or code is needed?
Protect originals and check what happens to submitted papers
GOV.UK says that if an application is approved, the will and codicils are kept by the probate registry and become a public record. It says a death certificate sent with the application is returned. Check the current application instructions carefully before sending original records, and keep a secure record of what was sent and when.
The guide also says that copies of the probate document can be sent to organisations holding assets, such as a bank. Ask each institution what it needs; an application guide does not guarantee that every organisation will accept the same documents or copies.
Questions to bring to an adviser
- Which originals, copies and supporting records are being sent?
- Has the family recorded where each original is held?
- What will each bank or other asset holder require after a grant?
Scope and review status
This article is a document-preparation starting point based on GOV.UK's probate application guidance. It does not determine whether a grant is required, who may apply, what anyone inherits, whether a will is valid, or the tax treatment of an estate. It does not cover Scotland or Northern Ireland procedure.
This article has not been reviewed by a lawyer or human editor. It is not legal, tax, financial or court-filing advice. Confirm current requirements with the relevant official service and consult qualified local counsel in England and Wales before acting; seek advice in every other jurisdiction connected to the estate.
Official starting points
Check these sources for updates; their guidance may have changed since our last source check.
This guide cannot determine which rules apply to you. Speak with a qualified professional in each jurisdiction relevant to your family and assets.