After a death, one of the early decisions is who, if anyone, should handle the probate. The choice usually comes down to three routes: do it yourself, instruct a solicitor, or use a dedicated probate specialist. Each has a place, and the right answer depends entirely on the estate in front of you. Working out which route fits is itself worth a conversation, and when inheritance tax is in the picture people often start by speaking to expert inheritance tax planners in the UK before committing to any particular path.
There is no rule that says you must use a professional. GOV.UK lets executors apply for probate themselves, and for a simple estate that can be perfectly sensible. The question is not whether you are allowed to do it alone, but whether doing so is genuinely the cheaper and safer option once you account for the time, the risk, and the complexity involved.
The three routes, briefly
Doing it yourself means the executor handles the valuation, the forms, the application and the distribution personally. A solicitor offers full legal advice and can take on the whole administration, which suits estates with legal complications. A probate specialist focuses specifically on estate administration, often at a fixed fee, sitting between the two on cost and scope. Knowing the difference is half the decision.
When doing it yourself makes sense
DIY probate works best when the estate is small and tidy. The classic case is a surviving spouse, a single property held jointly, a couple of bank accounts, a clear and valid will, and no inheritance tax to pay. Here the paperwork is manageable and the official guidance is enough to follow.
If that describes the estate, handling it yourself can save the cost of professional fees, and the only outlay is the £300 application fee for estates over £5,000, plus £16 for each extra copy of the grant. For an organised executor with time to spare, this is a reasonable choice.
When DIY becomes a false economy
The picture changes quickly once any complexity enters. Inheritance tax, a property that has to be sold, business or agricultural assets, gifts made in the last seven years, missing or contested wills, beneficiaries who are hard to trace, or assets held abroad all push an estate beyond comfortable DIY territory.
The risk is not just the extra effort. An executor is personally liable for mistakes, including underpaid tax or distributing the estate to the wrong people. Errors on an inheritance tax account can trigger penalties and interest, and an estate distributed too early can leave the executor out of pocket if a creditor or claimant appears later. Saving on fees only to face a larger bill, or months of unpicking an error, is the false economy worth avoiding.
Solicitor or probate specialist?
If you decide to bring in help, the next question is which kind. A solicitor is the right call where there is a genuine legal problem: a disputed will, a claim against the estate, complex trusts, or a likelihood of family conflict. You are paying for legal advice and the protection that comes with it.
A probate specialist suits the larger group of estates that are not legally contentious but are too involved for comfortable DIY: an estate with inheritance tax to calculate, a property to sell, and several institutions to deal with. Specialists frequently work to a fixed fee, which makes the cost predictable, rather than the hourly billing some solicitors use. For many families this middle route gives them the reassurance of professional handling without paying for legal advice they do not need.
What to check before you hire anyone
Whichever route you choose, a few checks protect you. Ask how fees are charged: a fixed fee, an hourly rate, or a percentage of the estate. Percentage-based fees can become expensive on a high-value estate, so it is worth comparing. Confirm exactly what the fee covers, and whether disbursements such as the application fee and property valuations are included or added on top.
Check that the firm is properly regulated, ask roughly how long they expect the administration to take, and make sure you are clear on who your point of contact will be. The MoneyHelper guidance on using a professional for probate sets out sensible questions to put to anyone you are considering.
For a small, jointly held estate with no tax to pay, doing it yourself is often fine. For an estate with property, inheritance tax, or any legal wrinkle, professional help usually pays for itself in time saved and risk avoided. The expensive mistake is choosing DIY by default, on cost alone, without first being honest about how complex the estate really is.
Start by sizing up the estate: its value, whether tax is due, whether a property is involved, and whether the will is clear. That assessment, more than anything, tells you which of the three routes you actually need. When the answer is not obvious, a short conversation with a local probate professional will usually settle it, and it costs nothing to ask.
