To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps is he taking to ensure that the Probate Registry can process the current high level of cases.
Answered on
5 May 2020
Her Majesty’s Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has continued to process applications for grant of probate during the coronavirus pandemic. The digital online probate service is available for both citizens and legal professionals and this means that both the applicant, and where necessary, HMCTS can administer grants remotely.
Paper applications from citizens have been digitised, through the introduction of a bulk scanning, since January 2020. This will shortly be extended to legal professional applications for those who are not yet using the online service. This also increases the ability of HMCTS to continue to work and process high levels of probate applications.
In addition, HMCTS has introduced a number of temporary measures to assist applicants in making their applicants during the current circumstances, such as allowing statements of truth in place of affidavits, enabling electronic signatures on applications and providing guidance on witnessing renunciations and Powers of Attorneys whilst social distancing measures are in place.