Blackhurst Budd Solicitors is calling on families across Blackpool and the Fylde Coast who are currently dealing with a loved one's estate to seek advice without delay, ahead of a sharp increase to the government fee for obtaining a grant of probate on 13th July 2026.

From that date, the flat fee payable to HM Courts and Tribunals Service for a probate application rises from £300 to £526, an increase of more than 75%. The change applies to all estates valued above £5,000 and is subject to parliamentary approval.

Suzanne Leonard, Head of Private Client at Blackhurst Budd Solicitors, says the timing of the increase will be felt keenly in a community where the cost of living is already placing pressure on many households.

"For families in Blackpool and the surrounding area, an additional £226 in court fees is not a trivial sum. People are already navigating rising costs in every area of their lives, and dealing with a bereavement on top of that is an enormous strain. The last thing a family needs at that point is an unexpected and substantial increase in what it costs to administer the estate of someone they have just lost.

"We have seen this kind of deadline trigger a rush of applications before. In 2019 a similar proposed increase led to a surge in probate applications that put real pressure on the system and caused significant delays. We fully expect the same to happen again this time, which is why we are urging anyone who thinks they may need to apply for probate to get in touch with us now rather than waiting."

The fee increase forms part of a wider package of changes to court and tribunal fees announced by the Ministry of Justice on 19th June 2026. One element of the package brings a small saving: the cost of certified copies of the grant will fall from £16 per copy to £2 per copy, provided they are requested at the same time as the probate application. Because banks, pension providers and other financial institutions typically each require their own sealed copy before releasing funds, requesting everything needed at the point of application will save both time and money.

Blackhurst Budd Solicitors is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2026, marking a century and a half of serving the Blackpool community. The firm's Private Client team specialises in wills, probate, estate planning, lasting powers of attorney and Court of Protection matters.