2027 Probate and oaths fees consultation

As an approved regulator and licensing authority for probate and oaths services, our activities are guided by and support the Legal Services Board's strategic themes: fairer outcomes, stronger confidence and better services.

The Legal Services Committee is very appreciative of the contribution and commitment of accredited probate firms since 2014 when ICAEW started regulating probate services. Establishing and maintaining appropriate compensation arrangements was an essential part of ICAEW taking on legal services regulatory responsibilities, and the Committee appreciates that those firms who embraced the new services early have had to bear the cost of this over the last 12 years. We’re delighted that having reached an acceptable fund balance, firms can now benefit from significantly lower levies. The support and engagement of accredited firms remains very highly valued by ICAEW and the Legal Services Committee.

2026 financial performance and activities

Building on the strong results and foundations of our work in previous years, our probate and oaths activities in 2026 have been extensive and focused on the following areas which the fees, including the 2026 increase, have helped facilitate:

• ensuring that the Professional Standards Department is best set up and resourced to deliver legal services regulation;
• ensuring regulated firms deliver a good and fair service;
• investigating complaints;
• maintaining and reviewing firms' transparency on price and service information;
• developing policy including in relation to professional ethics in legal services;
• developing supporting guidance and resources in relation to changes to dealing with first-tier complaints;
• implementing steps to support the reserved legal service of oaths;
• supporting both resource and financial contributions in relation to the Legal Choices website and development of a central register of legal service providers;
• contributing financially to the Legal Ombudsman;
• maintaining the compensation scheme arrangements;
• developing a modernised disciplinary sanctions framework;
• issuing and responding to consultations;
• progressing with the further development of the Legal Services Committee;
• keeping our firms and wider community informed via Probate News, Regulation and Conduct News and our dedicated LinkedIn channel (which has recently achieved 13,000 followers); and
• supporting the digital exclusion consumer research project.

ICAEW’s role as an improvement regulator is to help members and firms maintain high professional standards and hold them to those standards. We act in the public interest to strengthen consumer confidence and trust in ICAEW members and firms by raising standards through a programme of continuous improvement.

• Learn more about our regulation and conduct role

The new Regulation and Conduct strategy was launched in 2026. The strategy guides our business planning under five pillars:

• Public interest – Raising professional standards by continually enhancing the effectiveness of our regulatory and disciplinary frameworks.
• Improvement regulation – Using data and intelligence to provide members and firms with help to improve the quality of their work and adherence to standards.
• Regulating well – Continuously refining our regulatory and disciplinary approach through internal quality reviews, adoption of best practices and implementing national policy changes.
• Our people – Attracting, developing and retaining high-quality people to strengthen our regulatory and disciplinary capabilities.
• Continuous improvement – Enhancing efficiency, embracing innovation in our work and proactively identifying improvements in overarching regulatory frameworks.

2027 budget

The budget is targeted to break even (self-finance).

Costs have increased largely due to inflation and salary increases, plus costs in relation to policy and governance have increased due to Legal Services Board requests.

• Read the full consultation document to view the proposed fee scales for 2027

2027 compensation scheme levy

A large portion of the levy relates to building a cash fund for the compensation scheme. The cash fund target is now met so the levy can materially fall. Financial interest returns from the RLS scheme cash balance will be used to fund the basic operation of the scheme and inflation-proof the cash total.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

We do not believe the proposed changes will result in a worse outcome or quality of service for anyone due to their background or life circumstances. Please tell us if you think your firm or any of your clients will be adversely impacted by the proposals due to a protected characteristic (such as age, disability or race).

Consultation questions and how to respond

• Respond to the consultation online

If you are unable to access the online survey form, please post your response to the consultation questions provided by writing to us with your responses at:

Director Finance, Operations and Projects
ICAEW Professional Standards Department
Metropolitan House
321 Avebury Boulevard
Milton Keynes
MK9 3FZ

Please contact us if you need anything further (for example for accessibility reasons) to enable you to submit your response.

Timeline

The consultation deadline is Friday 14 August 2026.

Your feedback will then be reviewed and incorporated into our final fee application to the Legal Services Board. The final 2027 fee scales will be published in November.