HMCTS Probate Update June 2026

The Probate Registry has recently provided an update on an increasing number of caseloads this year. As Caseloads have been creeping up this year, HMCTS have shared with us some of the proactive measures they have put in place to improve their performance.

• As at the end of May, HMCTS had around 46.5k estates in the system, which sits above their target of c.40–45k cases. The number of cases in the system has climbed in recent months, largely due to higher application numbers, along with a focus on clearing older, more complex cases, which limit the capacity available for incoming cases.
• It’s important to note that the volume of probate applications in the system remains far below the levels we saw during the height of the backlog, and that a number of these cases are stopped / unworkable, meaning they cannot be progressed until the applicant has provided further information
• However, HMCTS understands how crucial it is for bereaved families and for charities to keep income flowing through the system, and they are taking significant and proactive steps to prevent any further build-up of cases in the system.
• This includes investing in new staff and increasing their capacity to handle complex estates, which includes training up four specialist teams who will be ringfenced to handle such cases.
• With these teams now in place, HMCTS is working hard to increase the volume of applications being processed and is focusing on preventing case numbers from escalating further.
• HMCTS will be hosting a special webinar for charities in September, to provide a fuller update. We will share further information and booking details as soon as they are available.