Letters of Administration UK: How to Apply (2026)

What this document is

A Grant of Letters of Administration is the court-issued authority that lets someone step in and handle the estate of a person who has died without a valid will, or whose will does not produce a workable executor. The person who takes on this role is called an administrator.

Their job is to collect in the assets, settle any debts and tax liabilities, and then pass what remains to the relatives entitled under the statutory rules of intestacy. Unlike an executor, an administrator is not chosen by the deceased.

They are identified by law, based on their relationship to the person who died. Banks, pension providers, share registrars, and the Land Registry will usually ask to see the sealed grant before they release funds or allow property to be transferred.

In that sense, the grant functions as the administrator's passport through the estate: without it, most institutions will not engage, and the estate cannot be wound up.

How to use this document

1. Work out whether a grant is actually needed. Not every estate requires one. Jointly held property may pass automatically to the surviving owner by survivorship, and some banks release modest balances without formal paperwork. Check with each asset holder first, because their thresholds differ, and you may find the estate can be dealt with informally.
2. Identify who has priority to apply. The intestacy rules set an order of entitlement, usually starting with the spouse or civil partner, then children, then parents, then siblings, and so on. Only one person needs to apply in most cases, though up to four administrators can act together. Agree this within the family early to avoid conflict.
3. Value the estate and deal with inheritance tax. You will need to list everything the deceased owned and owed at the date of death, including property, bank accounts, investments, vehicles, and personal items, less any debts. HMRC requires an inheritance tax account before the grant is issued, and any tax owed generally needs to be paid or arranged before the Probate Registry will proceed.
4. Submit the probate application. Applications are made online through the gov.uk probate service or by post using the paper form, depending on the circumstances. You will send in the death certificate, the tax paperwork, and pay the application fee. The Probate Registry then checks everything and, assuming all is in order, issues the sealed grant by post.
5. Administer the estate. Once the grant arrives, use it to close accounts, sell or transfer property, settle outstanding bills, and distribute the remainder under the intestacy rules. Keep careful records of every receipt and payment, as beneficiaries are entitled to see the estate accounts. Consider placing a statutory notice to creditors before distributing, to protect yourself from unknown claims.