On-line probate service to ease stress of bereavement

A pioneering Web site offering an on-line probate service and a one-stop shop for administration of estates has been launched by a Yorkshire-based law firm.

The site, which is produced by the Lister Croft Partnership, contains a six-step form which authorises the Web site staff to process applications for a grant of representation, a process which previously involved applying in person to registry offices around the country.

A grant of representation gives the person administering the deceased's affairs permission to pay any bills and deal with the estate.The site also contains advice on, among other issues, arranging and paying for funerals, dealing with deaths abroad, and information on the coroner's court process.

Details of bereavement support groups are also available on-line.

The on-line application for a grant of representation is currently available in England and Wales, with plans to extend the service to Scotland and Northern Ireland in association with local firms.Alan Benstock, managing partner of the Lister Croft Partnership, said the aim of the site was to simplify the legal and administrative maze which surrounds the administration of a deceased's estate.

'When someone passes away it is often a very stressful time,' he said.

'We want to provide a service which is not only easy to use and cost effective, but more convenient, as it cuts out the need to travel to a registry office and apply for a grant of representation in person.'LINKS www.probatesdirect.co.ukVictoria MacCallum