Award winning probate solicitors

Named Best Estate Administration & Probate Services Provider UK 2021, Co-op Legal Services has the largest team of probate solicitors and specialists in the UK, and is trusted to deal with over £1.3 billion in estates annually. We help and support thousands of bereaved individuals and families many of whom come to us from Co-op Funeralcare. As part of the Co-op Group, our values of openness, honesty, social responsibility and caring for others are core to the service we provide..

Our probate solicitors and specialists offer a probate complete service. We take full responsibility for getting the grant of probate and dealing with the legal, tax, property and estate administration affairs on your behalf. A local probate consultant can meet with you in your home or another location (in England or Wales) to explain the probate process, to answer your questions, and to provide you with a written fixed fee probate quotation.

What does a probate solicitor do?

A probate solicitor needs to have excellent legal, accountancy and administrative skills. But most of all, they need to be good with people to support them through the probate process.

As probate solicitors, we understand the law. We understand wills and when they are (or aren't) valid and we're familiar with the the legal terms used in wills. We can also help you to understand what happens and who gets what when someone dies without a will, which is called dying intestate.

Probate solicitors are also experts in the different taxes that have to be dealt with when someone dies, such as Income Tax, Capital Gains Tax and Inheritance Tax. There are various tax returns to complete when dealing with an estate, and our probate solicitors will deal with HMRC directly, ensuring all available tax exemptions and reliefs are applied, tax calculations are accurate and payment deadlines are met.

During probate, there will be a lot of money coming in and going out, as assets are sold and debts settled. It's crucial to keep track of this, and our probate solicitors will prepare detailed estate accounts.

Do I need a probate solicitor?

Using a probate solicitor isn't compulsory in England or Wales, but doing probate yourself is not a task to be entered into lightly. Probate can be a lengthy and time consuming process, which can involve many hours of administrative work and take a year or more to complete.

If you make any mistakes when carrying out any of this work, you could be held legally or financially responsible. If you instruct a probate solicitor to carry out this work on your behalf, they will take responsibility for their work.

In addition, a probate solicitor is a specialist in estate administration. They will be experienced in administering estates, finding missing assets, locating beneficiaries, liaising with HMRC and applying all available tax reliefs and exemptions. This can help to ensure that the beneficiaries of the estate receive the full inheritance that they're entitled to, while reducing any personal risk to the executor or administrator of the estate.

With our probate complete service, we will take full responsibility for carrying out this work on your behalf.

Answers to common questions about probate

• What is a grant of probate?

• How long does probate take?

• Do I need a probate solicitor?

• Can I get a fixed price probate quote?

• How long after probate is granted does it take to receive inheritance?

• What’s the difference between grant of probate and letters of administration?

For more answers to probate questions see What is a grant of probate?.

Authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority

Estate administration in England and Wales is not a reserved legal activity. This means that unregulated providers can offer estate administration services regardless of whether they are insured, experienced or qualified to provide a full service.

Co-op Legal Services is a trading name for Co-operative Legal Services Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, giving you peace of mind that your estate administration affairs are being dealt with by a regulated organisation and a brand you know and trust.

Co-op Legal Services carries insurance covering all of our work plus we have protection of client funds under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).

Our team of probate solicitors and specialists includes many members of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP). All STEP members are subject to an extensive code of professional conduct, requiring them at all times to act with integrity and in a manner that inspires the confidence, respect and trust of their clients and of the wider community.

Please note that our probate solicitors and probate consultants are available in England and Wales only for customers using our probate and estate administration service. If you don't know if probate is required, we can tell you.

Co-op Legal Services has over 600 staff working in different businesses with offices in Manchester, Bristol, Stratford-upon-Avon, Sheffield and London.