Estate planning · United Kingdom
Find an estate planning lawyer in United Kingdom for your will, probate and inheritance tax
The United Kingdom contains three separate legal jurisdictions, and succession rules can differ between them. Tell us where you live, where your assets are and who you want to provide for, and we will match you with a regulated lawyer who handles this work. The introduction is free and carries no obligation.
- Wills, probate, trusts and inheritance tax
- England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland
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Estate planning in the United Kingdom
Three jurisdictions, one estate to plan
Planning what happens to your property, accounts and family responsibilities after your death is a personal exercise — and in the United Kingdom it is also a jurisdictional one. England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each have their own courts and legal profession, and succession rules can differ between them. A specialist estate planning lawyer in United Kingdom practice will start by establishing which system governs your estate, then look at your will, the people you want to provide for, and the tax that may fall due. Because English law allows broad testamentary freedom, the will itself carries much of the weight; because probate work is reserved to authorised persons, the administration has to be handled properly. We help you find the right lawyer for that work.
United Kingdom specifics
How estate planning works in the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom is made up of three separate legal jurisdictions — England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland — each with its own courts, legal profession and rules on succession. That means ‘UK estate planning’ is not one body of law but at least three, and the first practical question a lawyer will ask is where you are based and where your assets sit. The points below set out the framework that applies in practice.
Three legal jurisdictions, not one
England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each have their own courts, judges and legal profession. Scotland’s system is a hybrid of common law and civil law, with its own rules on property, contract and succession. Because substantive law and procedure can differ significantly, a lawyer must first establish which jurisdiction applies to your estate.
Testamentary freedom and the 1975 Act
English law recognises broad testamentary freedom: you may generally dispose of your estate as you wish, without a continental-style forced heirship reserve for a spouse or children. The main statutory qualification is the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975, which allows certain family members and dependants who have not been reasonably provided for to apply to the court for financial provision.
Inheritance tax timing
Inheritance tax is normally payable to HM Revenue and Customs six months from the end of the month in which the person died, and the tax position is settled as part of the estate administration. Because the outcome depends on the assets, the terms of the will and who benefits, planning is usually done during life rather than after death.
Solicitors, barristers and reserved probate work
England and Wales maintain a split profession. Solicitors deal with most client-facing work, transactions and litigation preparation and are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority; barristers specialise in advocacy and specialist advice and are regulated by the Bar Standards Board, usually instructed through a solicitor. Probate activities are a reserved legal activity, so only authorised persons may carry them out.
Property in the estate and HM Land Registry
Land in England and Wales is recorded in the public register maintained by HM Land Registry under the Land Registration Act 2002. Registration of title is compulsory on a transfer of a freehold estate, on the grant or assignment of leases of more than seven years and on the creation of a protected first legal mortgage, and the application must be made within two months of completion.
What legal work costs
There are no binding statutory tariffs for solicitors or barristers in England and Wales: fees are freely agreed between lawyer and client, typically as an hourly rate or a fixed fee. Civil legal aid is available only for a limited list of matters and is generally not available for estate planning, so it is worth agreeing the fee basis at the outset.
Key time limits — Inheritance, Probate & Wills
| Matter | Key deadline | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Inheritance Act 1975 claim (family provision) | 6 months from grant of representation | Family members and dependants may apply to the court for provision from the estate within this window. |
| Inheritance tax payment | 6 months from end of month of death | Inheritance tax is normally payable to HM Revenue and Customs by this date. |
All country-specific information on this page comes from official United Kingdom sources — the Judiciary of England and Wales, the Solicitors Regulation Authority, the Bar Standards Board, HM Revenue and Customs, HM Land Registry, Acas and the Legal Aid Agency — together with the legislation published on legislation.gov.uk (accessed 2025).
- Judiciary of England and Wales — court structure and the three legal jurisdictions
- Judiciary of England and Wales — the judicial system: a visitor’s guide (common law and precedent)
- Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975
- GOV.UK — paying inheritance tax
- Solicitors Regulation Authority — becoming a solicitor
- Bar Standards Board — becoming a barrister
- GOV.UK — registering land or property with HM Land Registry
- GOV.UK — legal aid
- Employment Rights Act 1996, section 111 — time limit for tribunal claims
- Acas — employment tribunal time limits and early conciliation
- Limitation Act 1980 — simple contract (s.5), personal injury (s.11), defamation (s.4A)
- Matrimonial Causes Act 1973, section 3 — one-year bar on divorce
- Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 — no-fault divorce
Common problems
Why estate planning in the United Kingdom needs care
A will drafted with one jurisdiction in mind may not fit the others, and family expectations rarely match what the law actually allows.
Cross-border estates get tangled
Property in Scotland, a bank account in Northern Ireland or assets abroad can bring more than one set of succession rules into play. Assuming the wrong jurisdiction delays the administration and can turn a straightforward estate into a family dispute.
Someone challenges the will
Even where testamentary freedom applies, a spouse, child or dependant who feels unreasonably provided for may apply under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 within six months of the grant of representation, unsettling distributions already made.
Tax and deadlines arrive together
Inheritance tax is normally payable six months from the end of the month of death, while probate work is reserved to authorised persons. Waiting for the family to agree before taking advice compresses the timetable and complicates the tax position.
How we help
A lawyer matched to your estate, not to a call centre
Describe your situation once. We search for a regulated lawyer who actually handles wills, probate and succession in the relevant jurisdiction.
Matched with a specialist
We look for lawyers whose work covers wills, probate, trusts and succession, and who know the jurisdiction that applies to you — England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.
One short form, no chasing
You tell us about the assets, the family and any property or accounts outside the United Kingdom in a few lines. We pass that on and you hear back, usually within one working day.
Costs clarified early
Solicitors’ fees in the United Kingdom are freely agreed, so your first conversation should cover whether the work is charged hourly or as a fixed fee, and what that includes.
Cross-border awareness
If your family, property or savings sit in more than one country, we try to match you with a lawyer used to coordinating with advisers abroad on succession matters.
Also available in
Estate planning lawyers across Europe
If your estate touches more than one country, you may need advice in each of them. We also match clients with estate and succession lawyers in:
Frequently asked questions
Estate planning in the United Kingdom: your questions
What does an estate planning lawyer in United Kingdom practice actually do for me?
In practice they establish which jurisdiction applies to you — England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland — review your will and family circumstances, advise on inheritance tax, and handle the probate application. Because probate activities are reserved legal activities, that work must be carried out by an authorised person.
Can I leave my estate to whoever I want in England and Wales?
English law recognises broad testamentary freedom, so you are not bound by a continental-style forced heirship reserve for a spouse or children. The main limit is the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975, which allows certain family members and dependants who have not been reasonably provided for to apply to the court.
How long do family members have to bring a claim against an estate?
An application under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 must normally be made within six months of the grant of representation. That is a short window, which is why executors and beneficiaries should take advice as soon as a claim is threatened rather than after it closes.
When is inheritance tax due in the United Kingdom?
Inheritance tax is normally payable to HM Revenue and Customs six months from the end of the month in which the deceased died. The tax position and the estate administration run in parallel, so instructing a lawyer early, with the will and asset details to hand, keeps the timetable manageable.
How much does an estate planning lawyer cost in the United Kingdom?
There are no statutory tariffs for solicitors or barristers in England and Wales; fees are freely agreed between lawyer and client. Many solicitors quote an hourly rate or a fixed fee for will drafting and probate work. Legal aid covers only a limited list of matters and is not generally available for estate planning.
Do I need a solicitor or a barrister for estate work?
Solicitors handle most client-facing work, including preparation of wills and probate applications, and are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Barristers, regulated by the Bar Standards Board, focus on advocacy and specialist advice and are usually instructed through a solicitor — typically where a dispute over an estate reaches court.
Next step
Speak to a lawyer about your estate
Describe your situation in a few lines: the assets, the family, and any property or accounts held outside the United Kingdom. We will match you with a lawyer who handles estate planning in the jurisdiction that applies to you, and the first introduction is free.