A year ago, we reflected on one of the most unpredictable and uncertain years in our lifetimes due to the onset of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Looking back, most industry news and headlines directly, or indirectly, mentioned the pandemic and the impact it had on our professional and personal lives.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has outlined plans to align the fees for Grants of Probate to cost recovery, stating that the current fees do not cover the cost of running the service. The proposal outlines that the probate fee in England and Wales would increase from the current £155 for probate professionals and £215 for personal applicants to one standard fee of £273 for both professionals and individuals.

It’s a new year and a new decade – Welcome to 2020! This time of year can trigger many feelings – optimism, reflection, uncertainty or all of the above. As we think back to some of the hot topics we followed throughout the year, we realise many are still relevant as we step into the new year.

In our first blog post of 2019, we’re making our predictions on what could happen this year and the topics that we think will dominate the industry headlines. Read on to find out how increased probate fees, Inheritance Tax simplifications and Brexit could be some of the biggest stories in the year ahead.

We came across this piece of news recently in the Lincolnshire Echo, but whilst this is a regional story the topic is one of national importance. The article tackles unregulated probate providers and how they may target and take advantage of elderly individuals through practices such as cold-calling.