Rated 4.9 Excellent on Trustpilot · ICAEW Accredited
Doing probate yourself? Here’s the smarter way to do it
The government forms are free, and considering them is exactly the right instinct. This is an honest look at what going it entirely alone really involves, and how YouCanDoProbate lets you still do probate yourself, with the difficult parts handled for you, for one fair fixed price of £499 including VAT.
Let’s be upfront. Applying for probate using the official government forms costs nothing for the forms themselves. And if you’re weighing that option, you’re asking exactly the right question. The last thing anyone wants is to pay for something they don’t need.
This isn’t a page telling you that doing it yourself is wrong. In fact, doing it yourself is a great idea. The real question is simply how you do it, and what kind of help you have along the way.
In control, with a safety net
Many people want to do this themselves. They just don’t want to do it completely alone.
This is the position a lot of our customers are in when they find us. They’ve decided they don’t want to pay thousands to a solicitor. But the government forms feel overwhelming and the advice online contradicts itself. They want to be in control but they want a safety net.
“I wanted to have a go at doing probate myself but did not have the confidence to go it alone. This platform was the perfect compromise and saved us thousands in solicitors fees.”
Verified customer · Verified Trustpilot
That’s exactly what YouCanDoProbate is designed for. You stay in control of your own application. We handle the parts that are most likely to go wrong.
The forms are free. The knowledge isn’t included.
What going it entirely alone really means
The forms exist. But they don’t explain the process. They don’t tell you which forms you need. They don’t run the calculations. They don’t apply the exemptions. They assume you already understand all of this. What you’re left to work out entirely alone:
The full value of the estate
Gathering and totalling every asset, belonging, and gift made in the seven years before death
Whether inheritance tax is due
The correct calculation, including thresholds, available exemptions, and which of the many IHT schedules apply
Transfer and Residence Nil Rate Band
Complex rules many applicants don’t know exist. Missing these can mean paying more inheritance tax than you actually owe
Which forms you actually need
From a list including PA1P, PA1A, IHT400, IHT205, IHT207, and many supplementary schedules
How to fill each form in correctly
Applying the right rules, in the right sections, in the right order
How and where to submit everything
Separately to HMRC and HMCTS in some cases, in a specific order, with specific enclosures
Each of these is manageable on its own. Put them together, at a difficult and emotional time, with incomplete online guidance and contradictory forum advice, and it’s no wonder so many people feel overwhelmed or end up getting something wrong.
The real risk
The biggest danger isn’t the effort. It’s not knowing if you’ve got it right.
One small error, a missed exemption, the wrong form, an incorrect figure, can result in a rejected application, a request for more information, or significant delays. In some cases, it can mean paying more inheritance tax than you actually owe, because the right relief wasn’t claimed.
You don’t have to accept that risk. There’s a way to keep doing probate yourself while removing the part where things go wrong.
The smarter way to do it yourself
You’re still the one doing probate
You stay in control
With YouCanDoProbate, you’re still the one doing probate. This is not handing it over to someone else. It’s doing it yourself, with the difficult technical work taken care of for you. You gather and enter the details, the same information you’d need regardless. From there, the platform:
Applies all available exemptions automatically, including ones most people don’t know they’re entitled to
Calculates the full position of the estate and any inheritance tax due
Identifies whether forms like Transfer of Nil Rate Band or Residence Nil Rate Band apply to your estate
Selects the correct forms for your specific situation
Completes your Probate forms (PA1P or PA1A) and any Inheritance Tax forms (IHT400 series) required
Provides clear submission guidance on what to send, where, and how
And to make sure nothing slips through, the platform won’t generate your forms until every section is marked complete.
“I was so happy I found YouCanDoProbate. I didn’t even know where to start, but as soon as you register, it guides you through step by step. You then just print off the forms and send them off. It made a complicated system really simple.”
Lucia · Verified Trustpilot
Side by side
Doing it entirely alone vs YouCanDoProbate
YouCanDoProbate
Free GOV.UK route
Cost
£499
Free
Correct forms selected for you
Forms completed for you
Estate calculations done for you
Inheritance tax handled
Exemptions identified and applied
Guidance at every step
Generic notes only
Unlimited expert support
Someone to check your work
Risk of costly mistakes
Low
High
You stay in control
The forms are free, but the responsibility and the risk are entirely yours. With YouCanDoProbate, you keep the control and lose the worry.
Common worries
Common worries, answered by customers
Won’t it be too complicated?
“So, so easy. I wish I’d found it sooner. I put off doing probate thinking it would be bad, but it was fine.”
Carol Fennell
Verified Trustpilot review
I’m not great with computers.
“As an 80 year old with very basic IT skills, I was a bit apprehensive, but I found the process straightforward and easy to understand.”
Mrs Sally Baxter
Verified Trustpilot review
What if I need help part way through?
“I called their helpline on a few occasions. They were always very patient and solved my issues.”
Martin Greaney
Verified Trustpilot review
Is it right for your estate?
Is YouCanDoProbate right for your estate?
YouCanDoProbate works for nearly any estate in England and Wales, including estates with an inheritance tax liability. Here is what the platform covers, when it is worth a quick conversation first, and the small number of situations where a different route would be more appropriate.
Yes, the platform works for your estate
The person died on or after 1 January 2022
They were domiciled in England or Wales, or were a long-term UK resident living in England or Wales
PA1P and PA1A Probate forms
IHT400 Inheritance Tax forms and all applicable schedules
Estates with a Will
Estates without a Will (Intestacy Walkthrough included)
You don’t have to pay high solicitor fees, and you don’t have to face the complexity of doing it entirely alone, to get it right. YouCanDoProbate lets you do probate yourself, with the calculations, the exemptions, the forms, and the support all taken care of.
