The number of law firms and solicitors working on contentious wills, probate and trusts work has increased this year compared to 2017, an annual survey shows.
Seven out of ten practitioners in the sector are planning for a bigger workload in the next 12 months and expect modest growth until at least 2023, according to the UK Wills, Probate & Trusts Market Report 2018. The research, conducted among 50 providers in October, also found that fixed fees for probate work have become more popular, while price competitiveness in both wills and probate is limiting growth in terms of value. The average price for a simple will is: £180 (law firm); £131 (will writing company); and £41 (online will writing site).
Overall, the market was worth more than £1.2bn in 2017.