A realistic month-by-month breakdown of the probate timeline — from death to final distribution — and what causes delays.
This guide is part of ProbateHelp's Probate Process guide cluster. Estimated reading time: 13 min.
In limited circumstances, yes. Some assets do not require probate — for example, jointly owned assets that pass by survivorship, pension death benefits, and life insurance policies written in trust. These can be paid to beneficiaries before probate. However, assets in the deceased's sole name cannot be released until the grant is issued.
A very simple estate can still take 5–7 months: 1–2 months to gather documents and submit the application, usually within 12 weeks for the grant if HMCTS does not need more information, and a few weeks to collect the funds and distribute. Some estates with very small balances (under £5,000) may not even require probate.
HMRC IHT enquiries typically add 3–12 months to the process, depending on the nature of the query. Property valuations are the most common subject of enquiry.
There is no absolute legal deadline for completing the administration of an estate, but executors are expected to act within a reasonable time. The 'executor's year' is generally considered the period within which the estate should be substantially administered.
If your application has been with HMCTS for more than 12 weeks, or far longer than the current published operational average, you can contact the Courts and Tribunals Service Centre to ask for an update. If there is a genuine urgency, you can ask HMCTS to expedite the application.