Govt U-turns on 'unpalatable' probate fee legislation in run-up to election

Labelled a ‘stealth tax’

Victoria McKeever
clock • 2 min read

The government has U-turned on its controversial probate fee legislation, which industry commentators had labelled a 'stealth tax'.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) U-turned on the proposed legislation on Thursday, saying there was not enough time for it to go through Parliament before the General Election on 8 June. Put forward by Justice Secretary Liz Truss, the proposal looked to replace the current £215 flat fee with a tiered probate fee structure based on the value of a person's estate, effectively increasing costs for higher value estates to anything up to £20,000.  The legislation was first presented to Parliament in February, with a view to come into effect from May. It was expected to raise more than £250m f...

To continue reading this article...

Join Professional Adviser for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
  • Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
  • Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
  • Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
  • Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes

Join

 

Already a Professional Adviser member?

Login

More on Tax planning

Warnings of tight timetable as HMRC sets out pension IHT process

Warnings of tight timetable as HMRC sets out pension IHT process

‘A very short timescale for such a significant change’

Isabel Baxter
clock 01 September 2026 • 4 min read
News editor's view: The IHT effect

News editor's view: The IHT effect

The news editor's Friday Night Takeaway from 28 August

Isabel Baxter
clock 28 August 2026 • 3 min read
CGT liabilities surged 89% in 2024-25 tax year as Budget changes hit

CGT liabilities surged 89% in 2024-25 tax year as Budget changes hit

HMRC collects £24.2bn with £127bn gains reported

Sophia Panayi
clock 27 August 2026 • 3 min read