From deaths to estates: probate in the data
Only a portion of deaths lead to a formal grant of probate. During 2024 the Probate Service issued a total of 328,460 grants of representation, up 18% on 2023, of which 265,566 were probate grants, with the mean time from application to grant issue at around 9 weeks (MoJ, as at July 2026, subject to change). Set against 568,613 registered deaths in England and Wales in 2024, that points to many estates being wound up without a grant at all (ONS, as at July 2026, subject to change).
An estate does not always need a grant; small or jointly held estates can often pass without one, which is part of why grants issued run below the number of deaths. Our explainer on What Is Probate? sets out when a grant is and is not required. The table below places the recent figures side by side.
| Measure | Figure | Reference period |
|---|
| Deaths registered, England & Wales | 568,613 | 2024 |
| Grants of representation issued | 328,460 (up 18%) | 2024 |
| Of which, probate grants | 265,566 (up 21%) | 2024 |
| Mean time, application to grant | Around 9 weeks | 2024 |
Deaths per ONS, 2024; probate figures per MoJ family court statistics, 2024. England and Wales. As at July 2026, subject to change.
Deaths and Inheritance Tax
Most estates pay no Inheritance Tax. In the 2022 to 2023 tax year, 4.62% of UK deaths resulted in an Inheritance Tax charge, with 31,500 taxpaying estates and £6.70 billion of liabilities created (
HMRC, as at July 2026, subject to change). HMRC based that share on around 683,000 total UK deaths for the period. The tax-free nil-rate band is £325,000, with a residence nil-rate band of up to £175,000 where a home passes to direct descendants, and transfers between spouses and civil partners are generally exempt (
gov.uk, as at July 2026, subject to change).
So the large majority of deaths do not produce an Inheritance Tax bill. The standard rate on value above the threshold is 40%, reduced to 36% where at least 10% of the net estate passes to charity, and unused nil-rate bands can pass to a surviving spouse or civil partner (gov.uk, as at July 2026, subject to change). The table below narrows the funnel from all UK deaths down to taxpaying estates.
| Measure (2022-23) | Figure |
|---|
| Total UK deaths (basis for the share) | Around 683,000 |
| Taxpaying IHT estates | 31,500 (up 3,700, 13%) |
| Share of UK deaths with an IHT charge | 4.62% |
| IHT liabilities created | £6.70 billion (up £0.71bn, 12%) |
All per HMRC Inheritance Tax liabilities statistics, 2022-23. UK-wide. As at July 2026, subject to change.
What the numbers mean
Read together, the figures describe a funnel that narrows sharply at each step. A little over half a million deaths are registered in England and Wales each year, 568,613 in 2024 (ONS, as at July 2026, subject to change). A smaller number reach a formal grant, 328,460 grants of representation in 2024, because many estates are small enough or jointly owned so as not to need one (MoJ, as at July 2026, subject to change).
Fewer again meet an Inheritance Tax charge: 4.62% of UK deaths in 2022 to 2023, so more than nineteen in twenty estates paid no Inheritance Tax that year (HMRC, as at July 2026, subject to change). These are population-level figures, not a prediction for any one family. Whether an estate needs probate, or comes anywhere near the £325,000 threshold, depends entirely on its size and how assets are held (gov.uk, as at July 2026, subject to change). Because the counts also reflect an ageing, growing population, a falling mortality rate can sit alongside a broadly steady number of deaths. Many people choose to review their own position with a qualified professional rather than read a national trend as a personal outcome, and published figures can be revised.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
Death registration and estate administration are not uniform across the UK. The 568,613 figure covers England and Wales only; England recorded 531,953 registered deaths and Wales 35,405 in 2024, while Scotland and Northern Ireland maintain their own registers and publish separately (ONS, as at July 2026, subject to change). The probate figures here are for England and Wales; Scotland uses confirmation rather than probate, and Northern Ireland runs its own probate system. Inheritance Tax, by contrast, is a UK-wide tax, so the 4.62% share of deaths taxed and the £325,000 nil-rate band apply across all four nations (gov.uk, as at July 2026, subject to change).
Sources and methodology
Every figure on this page comes from a named official source and was checked against that source before publication. No number has been estimated, rounded beyond the source, or extrapolated. Where a source gives a rate, a total, or a share, it is described as such. The sources used are listed below with their reference periods.
- Deaths registered, mortality rate, causes, national split: ONS, Deaths registered in England and Wales, 2024 (568,613 deaths; 581,363 in 2023; ASMR 930.5; dementia and Alzheimer's 68,273 / 12.1%; England 531,953, Wales 35,405).
- UK-wide death registrations: ONS, Vital statistics reference tables (666,659 in 2021; 689,629 in 2020).
- Grants of probate and representation: Ministry of Justice, Family Court Statistics Quarterly, October to December 2024 (328,460 grants of representation, 265,566 probate grants, around 9 weeks mean time, calendar year 2024).
- Deaths taxed, taxpaying estates, liabilities: HMRC, Inheritance Tax liabilities statistics, commentary (4.62% of UK deaths; 31,500 estates; £6.70bn; around 683,000 total UK deaths; 2022-23).
- Core Inheritance Tax rates and allowances: gov.uk, Inheritance Tax (£325,000 nil-rate band, up to £175,000 residence nil-rate band, 40%/36% rates, spouse and civil partner exemption).
Frequently asked questions
How many people die in the UK each year?
The most recent settled figures show 568,613 deaths registered in England and Wales in 2024 (ONS, as at July 2026, subject to change). For the whole UK, the ONS vital statistics tables record 666,659 registered deaths in 2021 (ONS, as at July 2026, subject to change). Annual totals move from year to year.
Is the number of deaths rising or falling?
England and Wales registrations fell 2.2%, from 581,363 in 2023 to 568,613 in 2024, and the age-standardised mortality rate of 930.5 per 100,000 was the lowest since the series began in 1994 (ONS, as at July 2026, subject to change). Because the population is ageing and growing, the raw count and the underlying rate can move differently.
What was the leading cause of death?
Dementia and Alzheimer's disease continued to be the leading cause of death in England and Wales in 2024, with 68,273 deaths, accounting for 12.1% of all deaths registered (ONS, as at July 2026, subject to change). The ONS publishes fuller cause-of-death breakdowns by age and sex in its supporting datasets.
How many deaths lead to probate?
Not all do. During 2024 the Probate Service issued 328,460 grants of representation in England and Wales, of which 265,566 were probate grants, against 568,613 registered deaths (MoJ, as at July 2026, subject to change). Small or jointly held estates can often be dealt with without a grant, as our What Is Probate? guide explains.
What share of deaths results in Inheritance Tax?
In the 2022 to 2023 tax year, 4.62% of UK deaths resulted in an Inheritance Tax charge, with 31,500 taxpaying estates (HMRC, as at July 2026, subject to change). The great majority of estates paid nothing, helped by the £325,000 nil-rate band and the spouse and civil partner exemption (gov.uk, as at July 2026, subject to change).
Are the death figures the same across the UK?
No. The 568,613 total covers England and Wales, split as 531,953 in England and 35,405 in Wales; Scotland and Northern Ireland register deaths and publish separately (ONS, as at July 2026, subject to change). Estate administration also differs; Scotland uses confirmation rather than probate. Inheritance Tax, however, applies UK-wide (gov.uk, as at July 2026, subject to change).
About Fairchild Oldfield
The Fairchild Oldfield team brings together estate planning, tax, independent financial advice and client care, working with families across England and Wales.
Fairchild Oldfield are estate planning specialists and will writers, not a firm of solicitors. This article is general information based on practical experience, not legal, tax or financial advice.
Important: This article is general information only and is not legal, tax or financial advice. Reading it does not create a professional relationship. It is based on the law of England and Wales, and other UK jurisdictions may differ. Figures and rules are current as at July 2026 and are subject to change. Before acting, many people choose to seek advice from a suitably qualified professional, such as a solicitor, a STEP practitioner, an accountant, or an FCA-authorised financial adviser, who can consider your individual circumstances.
