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