No. The 239,091 probate grants issued in 2025 relate to England and Wales, where the Probate Service and HMCTS handle grants (FCSQ Oct to Dec 2025, as at July 2026, subject to change). Scotland uses a separate process called confirmation, handled through the sheriff courts, and Northern Ireland has its own probate office. So a genuinely UK-wide total would need to combine three different systems that publish separately. Where an estate spans more than one nation, it can be worth taking advice in each. For the underlying process, see our What Is Probate? explainer.
Every figure on this page comes from a named official source, verified against the published statistics and dated at its point of use. Annual figures are calendar-year totals of probate grants issued and applications received in England and Wales; quarterly figures cover the three-month period stated. No number has been estimated, extrapolated or rounded beyond what the source states, and percentage changes are quoted as the source reports them.
All sources as at July 2026 and subject to change. Statistics are drawn directly from the named releases and may be revised by the publisher.
How many probate grants are issued in the UK each year?
The Probate Service issued 239,091 probate grants in England and Wales in 2025, down 10% on 2024, from 242,821 applications received (FCSQ Oct to Dec 2025, as at July 2026, subject to change). The figure covers England and Wales; Scotland and Northern Ireland run separate systems, so there is no single UK-wide total.
Why did grants issued fall in 2025 after a record 2024?
Grants issued reached a series high of 265,566 in 2024, partly as the service cleared a backlog, then eased 10% to 239,091 in 2025, while applications stayed broadly flat (FCSQ Oct to Dec 2024; FCSQ Oct to Dec 2025, as at July 2026, subject to change). Grants issued reflects processing speed as well as demand, so year-on-year swings can be misleading.
How long does a probate grant take to be issued?
The mean time from application to grant was about 5 weeks in October to December 2025, down roughly 2 weeks from the same quarter a year earlier, and well below the 13-week average recorded across 2023 (FCSQ Oct to Dec 2025; FCSQ Oct to Dec 2023, as at July 2026, subject to change). These are averages, and individual cases can take longer.
Does every death lead to a probate grant?
No. Many smaller estates, and assets held jointly that pass automatically to the survivor, can be dealt with without a grant, so the number of grants issued is well below the number of deaths and is not a count of estates (gov.uk, applying for probate, as at July 2026, subject to change). Whether a grant is needed generally depends on the assets and how they were held.
What does it cost to apply for a probate grant?
Applying for a probate grant in England and Wales costs £300 where the estate is valued at over £5,000, with no fee where the estate is £5,000 or less (gov.uk, probate application fees, as at July 2026, subject to change). Copies of the grant and any inheritance tax due are separate. Fees can change, so many people check the current position before applying.
Are most probate applications now made online?
Yes. Around 92% of probate applications in the October to December 2025 quarter were made digitally, and 94% of grants issued that quarter were digital (FCSQ Oct to Dec 2025, as at July 2026, subject to change). The shift to online applications sits behind much of the recent improvement in processing times, though paper routes remain for certain cases.
Where can I check the very latest figures?
The Ministry of Justice publishes the Family Court Statistics Quarterly through HMCTS, so the most current official probate figures appear in the latest quarterly release (gov.uk, Family Court Statistics Quarterly collection, as at July 2026, subject to change). Because figures can be revised, any number quoted elsewhere may be out of date; the source release is the reliable check.
