When people talk about applying for Probate, they usually mean an application to the Probate Registry for a Probate certificate. A Probate certificate allows the Executors of the estate to deal with the deceased's assets.
An application to the Registry is usually required when a person passes away and leaves an estate of over £5,000. For example, if a person dies and they have £30,000 in their bank account (even if they don't leave any other assets), the bank may require the Executors to apply to Probate for the certificate to deal with the account.
As a general rule, if a person leaves assets worth less than £5,000, a Probate certificate is not required. This means that if a person passes away and they owned a property, Probate would always be required.
If the person who passed away left a Will, the Executors named in the Will should apply for Probate. If the person who passed away did not leave a Will, their next of kin (closest family members) should apply for Probate.
As part of the Probate application, you will be asked whether there is any Inheritance Tax to pay on behalf of the estate, so it's a good idea to estimate the value of the estate before applying. You should submit an Inheritance Tax report at the same time as applying for Probate. We will be happy to help you with these documents.