HMCTS outlines changes to the MyHMCTS digital service

Officials from HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) have written to probate practitioners to outline changes to the MyHMCTS digital service.

The changes, which aim to streamline and add functionality to MyHMCTS, are due to go live on 19 August.

Included among them are the following:

• Trust Corporations will be able to apply for a Grant of Probate using MyHMCTS.
• Clearer options will be available to account for executors who are not applying for probate, reducing the potential for cases to be stopped.
• It will be possible to amend all parts of an application before submission, including the probate practitioners’ details.
• Applications where only a notarial copy or a court sealed copy of the will is available can be made through MyHMCTS.
• The legal statement itself can be signed, including with a digital signature, by a practitioner on behalf of their client and any of the applying executors.
• The requirement to send a death certificate of any pre-deceased executors will end.
• A system error that led to practitioner details being overwritten in the application has been fixed.

In preparation for the impending changes, HMCTS is encouraging MyHMCTS users to clear their dashboard and either submit or delete outstanding cases.

A new application will need to be created to replace any applications that are not submitted, or are unable to be submitted, before 19 August.

While probate practitioners were initially criticised for slow take-up of the MyHMCTS service, officials say it has now been used to process more than 60,000 applications.

Probate practitioners who want to provide feedback on the scheduled changes to the MyHMCTS digital service should email probatefeedback@justice.gov.uk

For issues relating to a specific probate application, email contactprobate@justice.gov.uk