What is an executor and what do they do?
A plain-English UK guide to the executor role: what they do, who can be one, how many to name, and how to choose well.
Insights & guides
Executors & probate
Choosing executors and what they actually do.
What happens to your bank accounts when you die?
A UK guide to bank accounts after death — sole and joint accounts, frozen funds, probate thresholds and what executors can do early.
What happens to your debts when you die?
How debts are handled in a UK estate — what passes to family, what gets written off, and the executor responsibilities involved.
How to choose your executors
A practical guide to picking the right people to administer your estate.
What does a trustee actually do? A UK guide to the role and duties
A UK guide to being a trustee - the legal duties under the Trustee Act 2000, personal liability, what trustees can and can't do, and the practical first 90 days.
Which assets go through probate in the UK? A complete 2026 list
A UK guide to which assets need probate and which pass outside it - property, bank accounts, pensions, life insurance, joint tenancy, and the planning implications.
The Probate Registry: how to apply for a grant of probate in 2026
A UK guide to the Probate Registry - online vs paper application, the £273 fee, processing times, common rejection reasons, and DIY vs solicitor probate.
How long should UK executors keep estate records?
A UK guide to executor record-keeping - what records to keep, retention periods (12 years for most, 20 for IHT), the filing structure, and why it protects executors personally.
Can beneficiaries see a will before probate? UK rules
A UK guide to when beneficiaries can see a will - private before probate, public after, and the practical etiquette for executors and family in the in-between period.
How long does probate take in the UK? Realistic timelines for 2026
A stage-by-stage view of the UK probate process - from death registration to final estate distribution - with realistic 2026 timeframes.
Can an executor sell estate property? UK guide for 2026
A UK guide to executors selling property - the authority, the steps from instructing agents to completion, beneficiary disputes, and the CGT implications.
Can an executor also be a beneficiary? What UK law actually says
Yes, you can appoint a beneficiary as an executor in the UK - here is when it works, when it backfires, and how to set it up properly.