HMCTS Reform online event: probate
4 July 2019, 5:30pm
Introduction
Probate Reform Project • Current situation
• Principles, aim and end vision
• Key Journeys Delivered
Objectives of today’s session• Online application – review of current situation
• Key project milestones
• Paper applications
• Questions
Adam Lennon
Deputy Service Owner & Head of
Family Team,
HMCTS Civil & Family
Current situation
We have taken urgent action to address the temporary delays. We have increased staffing and we have
further improved the digital service. As a result waiting times are starting to reduce.
The increase in waiting times was caused by a combination of:
• more work than usual coming in
• moving to new case management IT system.
The move to the new system meant that staff had to spend time being trained and familiarising themselves
with the system. There were some initial problems with performance, but these have now been addressed.
Principles, aims and end vision
Probate Reform Project The Probate Reform Project will transform the service for people applying for probate under the Non-Contentious Probate Rules (the rules that govern probate procedures) in England and Wales.
The main aims of the project are to provide:
• improved information to help people understand whether they need to apply for probate
• the ability to apply, and pay, online
• an online service for caveats/objections and standing searches
• better customer service including support for people who need digital assistance
• a simplified experience, removing the need to swear an oath
• the ability to upload electronic copies of supporting documents, where possible.
To deliver this, the Probate Reform Project will provide:
• a digital application form
• a case management system to manage probate applications.
Key achievements
Release Milestone
Online personal applications - public beta The service started in July 2018
Introduction of new grants of probate New-style grants, with enhanced security
features, brought in from 4 March 2019
New case management system – Core Case
Data
A new case management system began
on 25 March 2019
Online caveats – personal applicants Personal applicants’ caveats service available
from 6 June 2019
Legal professionals’ online applications
• More than 30,000 digital probate applications submitted since July 2018.
• More than 30% of personal applicants are applying online.
• 92% of users said they are very satisfied or satisfied.
• All digital applications now being processed at our Courts and Tribunals Service Centre (CTSC) in Birmingham
An online service for legal professionals has been running as a pilot since June 2018. We have
received almost 250 digital applications.
• Cases are administered at the new CTSC in Birmingham.
• We have recently recruited some more firms to the pilot.
• 30 firms taking part, and more will join in the coming weeks.
• Aiming for national launch in the autumn.
Facts and Figures
Login screen
View status of your cases
Case status
Create case (grant of representation)
Check your answer
Eligibility criteria
Details of the deceased
Details of the deceased cont.
Details of the deceased cont.
Check your answers
Check your answers cont.
Complete application
Next steps
Next steps continued
Upcoming key milestones
Release Milestone
Online Intestacy (spouse and single child) –
personal applications
July 2019
Digitising paper applications September 2019
Legal professionals’ application – public
beta service
October 2019
Legal professionals’ paper application: review of current situation
New paper applications
• Courts and Tribunals Service Centres.
• Bulk scanning.
• PA1A and PA1P.
• No other requirement changes.
Question & answer
Adam Lennon
Deputy Service Owner
& Head of Family Team,
HMCTS Civil & Family
Jonathan Wood
National Services Director
HMCTS
Ronnie Gorham
Programme Management Office
Lead,
HMCTS Civil, Family & Tribunals
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