Planned probate fee hike halted ahead of snap election ====================================================== ![Planned probate fee hike halted ahead of snap election](https://vardags.com/images/pictures/_360/bf0b501bd491a33772781873a3132f17.jpeg)A controversial probate fee rise which would see bereaved families shelling out as much as £20,000 before they could inherit has been halted ahead of the general election in June. The [proposed changes](https://vardags.com/family-law/death-duties) would raise the administrative fees, which have to be paid before the estate of a deceased person can be administered, from a fixed cost of £155 or £215 to a tiered system which critics have denounced as a stealth tax. The Ministry of Justice [announced today](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39663204) that there was now not enough time for the legislation to go through Parliament. It is as yet unclear what will happen to the plans in the future. On the 24th of February, the Ministry of Justice announced that it had confirmed its [reforms of the current regime of fixed fees](https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/fee-proposals-for-grants-of-probate) for non-contentious probate applications. The changes had been due to come in next month. The plans which would have raised an additional £250 million a year for the courts, were met with hostility in the press. In early April a [report](https://vardags.com/family-law/report-liz-truss-lacks-stealth-tax-probate-fees/)published by the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments suggested that the plans were beyond the authority of the Ministry of Justice sharply reminding the Lord Chancellor that there should be "no taxation without the consent of parliament". Undeterred, the MoJ had planned to push on with the changes, a clear message that the government sought to continue moves to make revenue-raisers of court fees. Glossary Reference ------------------ ### Will A legal document setting out a person's wishes as to how their assets should be divided upon their death. "Ayesha Vardag - Britain's top divorce lawyer." ![The Huffington Post](https://vardags.com/images/logo/huffpost.png) "Ayesha Vardag - Woman of the Year"![GG2](https://vardags.com/images/logo/gg2-3.png) "Leading, Magic Circle law firm."Mr Justice Coleridge "A handful of firms dominate the so-called 'glamour' end of the market ... Vardags"The Times "One of the best divorce lawyers in the country"Marie Claire "Ayesha Vardag - 'diva of divorce' for the world's super rich" ![BBC](https://vardags.com/images/logo/bbc.png) "Dr Stephen Bence is a financial genius."Lewis Marks KC "Ayesha Vardag - the Queen of divorce"Daily Mail "Vardags brilliantly argued my case to a resounding victory"Pauline Chai (client) "Britain's top divorce lawyer" ![The Telegraph](https://vardags.com/images/logo/telegraph.png) More Wills & Trusts news ---------------------------- [Research suggests inheritances to rise by 60 percent in the next decade](https://vardags.com/family-law/research-suggests-inheritances-to-rise-by-60-next-decade "Research suggests inheritances to rise by 60 percent in the next decade") [Planned probate fee hike dropped ahead of snap election](https://vardags.com/family-law/planned-probate-fee-hike-dropped-ahead-snap-election "Planned probate fee hike dropped ahead of snap election") [Planned probate fee hike halted ahead of snap election](https://vardags.com/family-law/planned-probate-fee-hike-halted-ahead-snap-election "Planned probate fee hike halted ahead of snap election") [Report suggests Lord Chancellor lacks authority to go ahead with 'stealth tax' probate fee hike](https://vardags.com/family-law/report-liz-truss-lacks-stealth-tax-probate-fees "Report suggests Lord Chancellor lacks authority to go ahead with 'stealth tax' probate fee hike") [Supreme Court unanimously allows charity appeals in Ilott v The Blue Cross and others](https://vardags.com/family-law/supreme-court-ilott-v-blue-cross-others "Supreme Court unanimously allows charity appeals in Ilott v The Blue Cross and others") Articles by Thea Dunne ---------------------- [Planned probate fee hike dropped ahead of snap election](https://vardags.com/family-law/planned-probate-fee-hike-dropped-ahead-snap-election "Planned probate fee hike dropped ahead of snap election") [King of Swaziland announces plans to ban divorce](https://vardags.com/family-law/swaziland-divorce-ban "King of Swaziland announces plans to ban divorce") [Planned probate fee hike halted ahead of snap election](https://vardags.com/family-law/planned-probate-fee-hike-halted-ahead-snap-election "Planned probate fee hike halted ahead of snap election") [Vardags' client, Pauline Chai secures one of the highest ever court awards in 'titanic' divorce case](https://vardags.com/posts/vardags-client-pauline-chai-secures-one-of-the-highest-ever-court-awards "Vardags' client, Pauline Chai secures one of the highest ever court awards in 'titanic' divorce case") [Vardags declared the fastest growing law firm in Europe's FT 1000 rankings](https://vardags.com/posts/vardags-fastest-growing-law-firm-ft-1000 "Vardags declared the fastest growing law firm in Europe's FT 1000 rankings")