Committees

Justice Committee to examine possible solutions to probate delays

29 April 2024

The Justice Committee will hear from professional bodies to examine possible solutions to ongoing problems at the Probate Registry during the third session of its Probate inquiry.

MPs on the cross-party committee will explore the case for different proposals to improve the resilience of the Probate Registry and consider suggestions put forward by the regulators and representative bodies to improve the current issues.

Representatives from the Law Society’s Wills and Equity Committee, Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and Council for Licensed Conveyancers will discuss what can be done.  

During the inquiry’s first session in March, the Committee examined the significant impact of probate delays across the charitable sector, in particular organisations reliant on funding from gifts in wills. In the second session in April the Committee asked professional probate practitioners questions about the recent performance of the Probate Registry, how the application process works and its interaction with other processes.

The Committee launched its inquiry in November 2023 amid reports the Probate Registry has been experiencing significant delays. There are wider concerns about how effectively beneficiaries, executors and the bereaved are supported through the process.

The inquiry is taking evidence on capacity, resources and delays across the probate service and the impact of digitisation and centralisation, including the effectiveness of the online probate portal. It is looking at people’s experiences of applying for probate including how the administration of probate could be improved for people who are already coming to terms with the loss of a loved one.

Witnesses

Tuesday 30 April, 2.30pm, Committee Room 15, Palace of Westminster

  • Ian Bond, Chair, Law Society’s Wills and Equity Committee
  • Sophie Wales, Regulatory Policy Director, Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales 
  • Mark Walley, CEO, Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP)
  • Stephen Ward, Director of Strategy and External Relations, Council for Licensed Conveyancers 

Further information

Image: House of Commons