Probate court fees have historically been set at a level commensurate with the actual costs incurred by the Court Services in processing grant applications. The current flat fee being £215 for personal applications or £155 for solicitor applications.

Despite an overwhelming objection to proposals for a fee increase through a consultation paper in 2017, the Government pushed ahead with its progressive fee scale proposals which would have seen estates worth over £2million having to pay a probate court fee of £20,000.

Due to the general election in that year the unpopular proposals were put on hold. The main objections...