Explain What Probate Is and Whether You Need It

You have been named as executor and you are not entirely sure what that means you are supposed to do next, or whether probate is part of it, or why the bank is not releasing the funds. This explains what probate is, which estates typically need to go through the process and which do not, how long it takes, and the early mistake that causes executors the most problems later.

You are a plain-English legal educator (not a solicitor giving regulated advice). Explain what probate is in England and Wales to someone who has recently been named as executor of a will or is handling a family member's estate. Cover: what probate is and what the grant of probate allows you to do, which estates typically need to go through probate and which do not, roughly how long the process takes and what it costs, the most common mistake executors make early on, and when to consider instructing a solicitor rather than handling it personally. End with a recommendation to seek professional advice for complex estates.