Newly released data suggests progress is being made to reduce waiting times for grants of probate – but lawyers who see first-hand the impact of delays on grieving families want to see further improvements.
According to figures published by HM Courts & Tribunals Service, digital and paper probate applications took an average of 9.3 weeks to process in July, compared with 14 weeks a year earlier and 15.8 weeks last November. Some 32,002 grants were issued in July, compared with 22,922 in July last year.
Kirsty Limacher, chief legal officer at the Association of Lifetime Lawyers, acknowledged improvements have been made but said the figures tell only part of the story.
‘Many of our members are still facing long delays and “stops” on applications that reveal how much HMCTS is missing experienced and knowledgeable staff,’ Limacher said.
The improvements ‘come after a period of declining standards and still do not reach the levels of service previously expected from the Probate Registry’, Limacher added.
‘This is making things very difficult for us in the legal profession and of course the ultimate burden is borne by grieving families. Our members are specialists in working with vulnerable and older people at some of the toughest times – we see the impact of probate delays first-hand. So of course we’re cross. A little better is just not good enough.’
Law Society president Nick Emmerson said steps taken by HMCTS to address delays have largely come about through regular engagement with the probate professional user group. Set up by Chancery Lane in 2018, the cross-sector group reviews service performance and shares feedback with HMCTS.
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