When someone close to you dies, being named as executor can feel like an enormous responsibility on top of an already difficult time. DIY-Probate-Toolkit gives you a clear, practical structure to work through the process — step by step, at your own pace.
Used by executors across England & Wales. No legal background needed.
Most executors have never done this before. You may be unsure what order to do things in, which organisations to contact, what forms are involved, or how long it should take. That uncertainty, on top of grief, is exhausting.
DIY-Probate-Toolkit gives you a framework that handles the organisation, so you can focus on doing the job properly and with confidence.
You do not need to be a probate professional. You need a clear plan and the right tools.
Know what happens at each stage — from registering the death and locating the Will, through to applying for probate and distributing the estate. No guesswork.
Use guided checklists to collect asset details, contact organisations, record liabilities and keep all key information in one place.
Use template letters, checklists and estate accounts tools to progress the administration properly — and have a clear record of every decision you make.
I had no idea where to start. The roadmap made the whole thing feel like something I could actually manage.
The template letters alone saved me hours. I didn't have to think about what to write to every bank and utility company.
Clear, practical and reassuring. Exactly what I needed at a very difficult time.
DIY-Probate-Toolkit works well for executors handling estates that do not involve:
If any of those apply, you should take professional legal advice. If you're unsure whether the estate is straightforward, our How it works guide can help you work that out.
One toolkit. One price. Everything you need to handle a straightforward estate with confidence.
No subscription. No hidden charges. Yours for the duration of the estate administration.
Most executors find probate daunting not because it is impossibly complicated, but because they don't know what order to do things in, or what each stage actually involves. This page explains the journey from start to finish.
Before probate itself begins, there are several practical steps every executor needs to take:
The toolkit's executor checklist covers all of this and gives you a record of what you've done.
Once the immediate steps are in hand, start building your estate file. This is your central record for the entire administration.
You will need to record:
Having this information organised in one place will save significant time as the administration progresses.
This is often the most time-consuming stage. You need to identify and value everything the deceased owned, and everything they owed.
Assets typically include:
Liabilities include outstanding mortgages, loans, credit cards, utility arrears, tax owed and funeral expenses.
The toolkit's guided checklists walk you through each category so nothing is missed.
Once you have a clear picture of the estate, you can prepare the information needed to apply for a Grant of Probate (or Letters of Administration if there is no Will).
You will need to consider:
The toolkit auto-populates your Pa1P or Pa1A application and the relevant HMRC forms directly from your estate records, so there's no re-entering information by hand. You check everything over, then print, sign and send it.
Once you have the Grant of Probate, you have the legal authority to deal with the estate. This stage involves:
The toolkit's estate accounts structure helps you track every transaction and produce a clear record for beneficiaries.
A straightforward estate typically takes between 9 and 12 months from death to final distribution, though it can take longer. The main factors affecting timescale are:
The toolkit helps you keep the process moving by tracking what is outstanding and providing the letters and reminders you need.
DIY-Probate-Toolkit is designed for straightforward estates. If at any point you are unsure whether the estate is suitable for DIY administration, or if complications arise, please take professional advice. Executors have personal legal responsibilities and can be held liable for errors.
Here is exactly what you get when you purchase DIY-Probate-Toolkit.
A clear, stage-by-stage guide to the full estate administration process — from the first steps after death through to distributing the estate and closing the file. Written in plain English, with no assumption of legal knowledge.
The roadmap tells you what needs to happen, in what order, and what decisions you need to make at each stage.
A comprehensive task list covering every key action in the administration — from registering the death and notifying the bank, to submitting the probate application and obtaining beneficiary receipts.
Use it to track what you've done, what's in progress and what's still outstanding. Particularly useful if there are co-executors and you need to coordinate responsibilities.
Structured records to capture all the information you'll need during administration:
Ready-to-use letter templates for the organisations you'll need to contact during the administration. Each template is written to include the key information required and can be adapted to your estate.
Templates include:
A structured template for recording all financial transactions during the administration:
Estate accounts are not legally required in all cases, but they provide a clear record for beneficiaries and protect you as executor if questions arise later.
Throughout the toolkit, guidance notes explain the purpose of each section and what you need to know — without unnecessary legal language. Key topics covered include:
If you have a question about how to use the toolkit or how to approach a particular stage, our support team can help. See the Support page for details of what is and isn't covered.
One price. One estate. No subscription.
One toolkit for one estate. No monthly fees, no confusing packages, no extras to unlock.
This price does not include the Probate Registry application fee (currectly £526 for estates over £5,000), which is paid directly to HM Courts & Tribunals Service and applies whether you use a solicitor or handle probate yourself. It's not a cost we charge, it's a mandatory government fee.
A solicitor handling probate on your behalf typically charges between 1% and 2% of the estate value — plus VAT. On a £200,000 estate, that is between £2,000 and £4,000.
DIY-Probate-Toolkit is designed for executors who want to handle the administration themselves, with the right tools and structure to do it properly. At £570, it costs a fraction of professional fees — and you stay in control.
The toolkit is designed for straightforward estates in England & Wales. It may not be suitable if the estate involves:
Not sure? Read our How it works guide or contact us with a question.
Reasonable administration expenses are generally payable from the estate before distribution to beneficiaries. This typically includes the cost of tools and services used to administer the estate, though executors should keep records and act in the interests of the beneficiaries. If in doubt, take professional advice.
The toolkit is designed to be clear and straightforward, but probate can raise questions — especially if you've never done it before. We're here to help.
Support does not include regulated legal advice. We cannot advise on:
For any of these, please consult a qualified solicitor or specialist professional.
Send us a message via the contact page and we'll get back to you as quickly as we can. We aim to respond to all enquiries within one working day.
Have a question about DIY-Probate-Toolkit? We're happy to help. Send us a message and we'll get back to you within one working day.
Before you get in touch, it's worth checking: our FAQ page, our How it works page, or the guidance notes within the toolkit. For urgent legal, tax, or disputed estate matters, please contact a qualified solicitor or professional adviser. We are not able to provide regulated legal advice.
DIY-Probate-Toolkit was built for a simple reason: probate is something most people only ever do once, at one of the most difficult times of their lives — and the guidance available is often either too complex, too expensive, or both.
Most straightforward estates in England & Wales do not require a solicitor. But without a clear framework, even a simple administration can feel chaotic. Deadlines are missed, organisations are contacted in the wrong order, records are incomplete, and executors are left anxious about whether they've done things correctly.
The toolkit gives executors a practical structure: the right checklists, the right records, the right letters, and plain-English guidance at every stage. It won't make the grief easier. But it can make the administration manageable.
My name is Michelle. I am one of the founders of DIY-Probate-Toolkit and an estate planner by profession.
In my work, I take bereavement calls every day. Executors, mostly clients' family members, picking up the phone in the days after someone they love has died. They are grieving. They are frightened. And they almost always say the same thing: I do not know where to start.
I have been on those calls hundreds of times. I understand the overwhelm. The paperwork that arrives while you are still in shock. The organisations that need notifying. The forms that need completing. The decisions that need making, at exactly the moment when making decisions is the last thing you feel capable of.
Even with all my experience, when it was my own family, it was still incredibly hard.
In 2023, my mum Ann Marie was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. The decline was fast.
Mum had a Will and a Power of Attorney in place, she had planned carefully, as so many of our clients do. But when the diagnosis came, it was Mum who pushed for us to go further. Before she died, we started closing down social media accounts. We consolidated accounts. We sorted through personal items and effects together. We discussed her funeral wishes and planned everything as a family.
It took enormous strength from Mum to face those conversations and those decisions while she was still with us. But she did it. We all did it together. And on the day she died, and in the weeks that followed, it made the most painful time of our lives a little more bearable, not because the grief was less, but because the practical chaos was less. But there was still the estate to administer, closing accounts, notifying banks and organisations, sorting through what was left of her digital life. Even with everything we had done in advance, it was still hard. Because it always is. It is not supposed to be easy. But it was manageable.
Nobody should have to navigate this alone, in the dark, while they are grieving.
That is why we built DIY-Probate-Toolkit.
Not to make probate feel like a simple admin task, it is not, and anyone who tells you otherwise is not being honest. But to give executors a clear path through it. Plain English. Step by step. With everything they need in one place, and a way to get professional help if they need it, without losing what they have already done.
If you are using this toolkit, you are probably in one of the hardest periods of your life. We built this for you. We hope it helps.