STEP is a member of the Probate User Group, which brings together His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Services (HMCTS), professional bodies and charities to address issues with the probate service. During a meeting on 5 September, we received the following updates: HMCTS has created a new email address for advisors who have a case that… Read More HMCTS Probate User Group update – September 2024
Mark Walley, CEO of STEP, gave evidence at the House of Common’s Justice Committee’s evidence session on the performance of the probate service on 30 April. The committee of MPs was established as a follow up to the Justice Committee’s written inquiry into the probate service and its poor performance in November 2023. The significant… Read More Justice Committee’s Evidence Session into the Probate Service
STEP is responding to the House of Commons’ Justice Committee’s inquiry into the probate service of England and Wales and the causes of delays. The consultation examines resource and capacity of the probate service to process applications, while considering long-lasting solutions to alleviate future case backlog. Background The quality of the probate service has declined… Read More Justice Committee’s inquiry into probate service of England and Wales
STEP is a member of the Probate User Group, which brings together His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Services (HMCTS), professional bodies and charities to address issues with the probate service. At a recent meeting, the challenges that HMCTS (in England and Wales) faces in catching up with an increasing workload and reducing timeframes were discussed.… Read More HMCTS Probate User Group update – May 2023
Update 25 August 2020: HM Courts & Tribunal Service (HMCTS) has provided some further guidance in relation to submitting England and Wales probate applications in the correct format: If you have lodged an application through the online portal using your registered account you do not need to send any application forms, when you send in… Read More HMCTS announces interim operational arrangements
Updated 24 March 2020: HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has launched new standard application forms for professional practitioners. Three of the grant of representation forms have been redesigned for the professional sector. These are the PA1A (applying for grant of letters of administration), PA1P (applying for a grant of probate) and PA8A (applying for… Read More Progress on UK probate delays
STEP is delighted and relieved by the news that the proposed increase in probate fees in England and Wales has been dropped. News reports emerged early on Saturday morning (12 October 2019), to the relief of practitioners and others in the industry. ‘STEP welcomes the news that the government has decided to scrap the proposed… Read More UK government drops probate fee increase
HM Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) recently organised a focus group, attended by practitioners from across the industry and representatives of various professional bodies, as part of its ongoing changes to the rules and processes around probate applications in England and Wales. As Deputy Chair of STEP’s England and Wales Regional Committee, I attended the… Read More Online probate applications update – Oct 2019
Update 21 November: HM Courts & Tribunal Service (HMCTS) has announced this week that all legal professionals’ probate calls have been centralised and are now dealt with by the Birmingham Courts and Tribunals Service Centre (CTSC). You will no longer be required to contact a local registry if you need an update on your client’s… Read More EW probate delays: September update
My tenure as Chair of STEP’s England and Wales Regional Committee began in January and I would like to thank Rita Bhargava TEP for being such a hard act to follow. January also heralded the arrival of STEP’s new Chief Executive, Mark Walley. Mark has been quick to get his feet under the table and… Read More What’s happening in England and Wales?
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