HMCTS looks at altering probate service
Efforts are being made my HMCTS to improve and modernise the probate service. This comes ahead of a proposed fee increase.
HMCTS has recently launched an online probate service for solicitors and legal practitioners to help streamline the probate process. MyHMCTS is the system designed to act as an interface between legal practitioners and HMCTS, when dealing with client probate applications.
New prompts have been introduced to MyHMCTS to make applications more straightforward. Family solicitors will no longer be required to send a death certificate of any pre-deceased executors, which could add further delays to an already lengthy process.
Probate fee increases have been justifies on the grounds that the current probate system operates at a loss. It has been suggested that this places an unfair burden on the taxpayer.
You an read more about the pending changes to the probate service and some reaction at The Law Gazette, through this link. https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/hmcts-revamps-probate-service-ahead-of-fee-rise/5109532.article