Applying For Probate Online - Technical Problems

StrugglingExecutor

I applied for Probate on Monday and the application went through fine.   

I paid the online fee at the end and received an email saying my payment had been successful. 

However, I then expected to click through to a different page on the website advising me what documents to send and with a coversheet etc and to receive maybe an email from them (I didn't know what to expect).  However, instead it went back to the screen saying Pay and Submit Application, where it is now permanently stuck.  Also, on the probate application page, the matter still said 'In Progress' in yellow.

I have called them 4 times this week and eventually spoke to someone in accounts who has married up my payment reference number with the Case ID Number and the status has gone from being 'In Progress' in yellow to being 'Sent' in green (although the other screen still says Pay and Submit Application.

Every time I've spoken to the Probate office they have just told me to send the documents in anyway.  I have made up my own coversheet and have found the address to send the documents to.  I just hope they are able to access my online application from their end.

The process has seemed fairly straight forward, apart from this technical glitch which has put my stress levels through the roof.  I gather others have had similar issues one way or an other.

concept23

StrugglingExecutor said:

I applied for Probate on Monday and the application went through fine.   

I paid the online fee at the end and received an email saying my payment had been successful. 

However, I then expected to click through to a different page on the website advising me what documents to send and with a coversheet etc and to receive maybe an email from them (I didn't know what to expect).  However, instead it went back to the screen saying Pay and Submit Application, where it is now permanently stuck.  Also, on the probate application page, the matter still said 'In Progress' in yellow.

I have called them 4 times this week and eventually spoke to someone in accounts who has married up my payment reference number with the Case ID Number and the status has gone from being 'In Progress' in yellow to being 'Sent' in green (although the other screen still says Pay and Submit Application.

Every time I've spoken to the Probate office they have just told me to send the documents in anyway.  I have made up my own coversheet and have found the address to send the documents to.  I just hope they are able to access my online application from their end.

The process has seemed fairly straight forward, apart from this technical glitch which has put my stress levels through the roof.  I gather others have had similar issues one way or an other.

Hi StrugglingExecutor

I just had a very similar problem to you.  My online application went wrong on paying but the money has been debited from my account and I have received the payment confirmation email.  However the website wanted me to pay again and the status still showed as "In progress".  After a phone call, they confirmed that payment had been received and they manually changed the status which now shows as a green "Sent", but the linked web page still wants me to pay again.  I was told to send supporting documents, which has been done. 

My question is whether it all went through for you OK after you got the green "Sent" status and your grant was finally issued.  Or were there further problems that arose from this online application hiccup?

karen2013

Hi 
I have had a similar problem and my status online still says In Progress in Yellow but I have had the email confirming the payment and it has been debited from my account.

Also, I cannot find a checklist of what I need to post to them ? original will and death certificate ? Do they contact you and request them or do I just post them with the reference number on the application attached? I have tried to find an answer but am going around in circles ! Cant even find the address.

Thank you for reading

karen2013

Hi 
I have now found the checklist ! and application has now changed to green, so I am all sorted 
Thanks

The_Highwayman

22nd October 2025 and the online Probate service doesn't seem to be any smoother at the payment stage. It's shown as a beta service two years after the first post here October 2023! I've been trying to pay & submit my application since 22:00 yesterday without success. I just get progressively escalating error messages on each attempt saying things like " your payment has not been sent. Try again ' ; ' sorry we're having technical problems ' ; " your payment may have failed. Do not try again for two hours '. My payment method hasn't even been asked for! No dialogue to collect a debit card; PayPal or any other payment method. As those who have experienced these problems may know, the application isn't issued and you get no reference number if you don't succeed at this point. I've used the telephone helpline (the operator can't see an application given the deceased name and birthday; death dates); I've used the webchat and last of all the email including a video of the screen showing the sequence attached. Don't hold out much hope given this thread.

Skint_yet_Again

Maybe it has more recently been affected by this?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/articles/cx275x61v6jo

“Services including HMRC have all reported issues.. “

I would be interested to know how you get on as I will be attempting to apply next week 

bunnygo

gov.uk sites were affected by the problems this week, although no-one announced it - HMRC certainly had issues. If you did anything on Monday it may not have gone anywhere, I found the site was throwing me out halfway through. Best double check.