What can you do while you wait for probate? (UK, 2026)

5 October 2026 · Inherit Vault

Waiting for probate can feel like being stuck in a queue with no number. You can't sell the house or share out the money yet. But there's a lot you can get done in the meantime, and most of it makes the rest go faster once the grant lands.

How long the wait is right now

The latest court figures, for April to June 2026, show grants took about five weeks on average after the application went in.* GOV.UK still tells people to expect the grant within 12 weeks.* Our full guide to how long probate takes covers what slows things down.

What not to do yet

GOV.UK is clear on one thing. You shouldn't make any financial plans or put the property on the market until you've got probate. So hold off on estate agents and promises to relatives. Everything below is safe to do while you wait.

Get the funeral paid from their account

You don't have to pay for the funeral yourself and wait to be paid back. Some banks will pay the funeral director straight from the account. Lloyds says it can do this when you give it the bill. Santander says it can pay the funeral director before probate. Check with the bank before you pay anything out of your own pocket.

Use Tell Us Once

If they lived in England, Scotland or Wales, the registrar will explain Tell Us Once when you register the death. It tells HMRC, the Department for Work and Pensions, the DVLA, the Passport Office and the local council in one go. GOV.UK says you must use it within 28 days of getting your reference number. Our Tell Us Once page has the details.

Pay any inheritance tax from their accounts

If there's inheritance tax to pay, you usually have to pay some of it before you can get probate. That sounds like a catch, but there's a way round it. Under the Direct Payment Scheme, banks and building societies can pay the tax straight from the person's accounts. GOV.UK says you can start this before you've got probate. The tax is due by the end of the sixth month after they passed away. HMRC charges interest after that. We've covered paying inheritance tax before probate step by step.

Sort out the council tax

If the home is empty, you won't usually pay council tax while you wait. GOV.UK says you don't need to pay until after probate, as long as the property stays empty. Once probate is granted, you may get another six months free, if the home is still empty and still in their name. The rules are different in Scotland. Tell the council early, so the bills don't pile up.

Deal with the utilities

Tell the energy, water and phone companies. Citizens Advice says the executor or administrator should tell the energy suppliers and give them meter readings. It says energy used before they passed away is paid from the estate. A photo of each meter with the date on it is worth taking. Our government and household list has contacts for the council and other services.

Build the full picture of the estate

You'll need a value for everything they owned and owed on the day they passed away. That's needed for the probate form, and for any inheritance tax. Start a simple list. Put down the bank accounts, pensions, shares, the house, and any debts. Our guide to valuing an estate for probate explains how to put a figure on each one.

Put a notice in The Gazette

Executors can protect themselves from debts they didn't know about by placing a notice. Under section 27 of the Trustee Act 1925, the notice gives creditors at least two months to come forward. If the estate includes land or a house, the Act also wants a notice in a local paper there. After the deadline, an executor who shares out the estate isn't personally liable for claims they didn't know about. It's worth knowing about early, as the two months have to pass before you share anything out.

If you haven't applied yet

The fee is £526 if the estate is worth more than £5,000.* There's no fee below that. Extra copies of the grant cost £2 each if you order them with your application.* Order them later and they're £16 each.* Several organisations may each want to see one, so it's cheaper to order a few at the start. Our probate service page has the contact details.

Why you might still wait after the grant

Getting the grant isn't always the end of the waiting. Under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975, some people can claim a share of the estate. They have six months from the grant to do it, unless a court allows it later. That's one reason some executors hold back the final payouts. We've explained this in our post on why executors are told to wait.

Most of the waiting isn't the probate office. It's the family trying to find out what there is. A clear list of accounts, policies and where the will is kept can cut weeks from the start. Inherit Vault is one quiet place to keep that list for the people who'll need it.

*Correct at the time of writing, 29 September 2026. These can change, so check with the organisation before you rely on them.

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