Acting as an executor can involve real out-of-pocket cost: postage, travel to meetings, phone calls, printing, and sometimes much more. The good news is that executors are entitled to be reimbursed for proper expenses from the estate. The less good news is that this is not the same as being paid for your time, and lay executors who are not also beneficiaries sometimes get this distinction wrong, to their own cost.
Plain-English guide written by Simon Jenkins — covering every stage of the probate process.
The basic rule: expenses yes, time no
An executor is entitled to recover reasonable expenses properly incurred in administering the estate. This includes the cost of postage, stationery, phone calls, travel to the Probate Registry or to meetings with beneficiaries, valuation fees, and the probate application fee itself, which is currently £526 for most estates. What an executor cannot normally claim is payment for their own time and trouble, however many hours they put in, unless the will specifically allows for executor’s remuneration or the beneficiaries all agree to pay something for the work involved.
Travel expenses and mileage
If you use your own car to deal with estate business, for example visiting the deceased’s property, attending valuations or meeting beneficiaries, you can claim mileage at HMRC’s approved rate. From 6 April 2026, HMRC increased the approved mileage allowance for cars and vans to 55p per mile for the first 10,000 business miles in the tax year, falling to 25p per mile after that. This was the first change to the rate since 2011. Motorcycle mileage remains at 24p per mile and bicycle mileage at 20p per mile.
What counts as a proper expense?
The test is whether the cost was reasonably and properly incurred in administering the estate, rather than for the executor’s personal benefit. Typical reimbursable costs include probate and court fees, professional valuation fees for property, shares or personal possessions, the cost of cleaning or securing a property before sale, insurance on an empty property, and reasonable travel and subsistence costs connected to estate business. Costs that are not reimbursable include anything that would have been incurred anyway, personal expenses dressed up as estate costs, or compensation for the executor’s own time unless specifically authorised.
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Keep records from day one
Every expense claimed back from the estate should be supported by a receipt or invoice wherever possible. Keep a simple running log noting the date, the amount, what it was for, and why it was necessary. This matters for two reasons: it protects you if a beneficiary later questions how the estate’s money was spent, and it makes preparing the estate accounts at the end of the administration far more straightforward. Our guide to executor personal liability explains the wider risks of getting estate administration wrong, including around expenses.
When executor’s expenses go wrong
Disputes usually arise where an executor has helped themselves to estate funds for something that was not a genuine estate expense, or where the amount claimed looks more like payment for time than reimbursement of cost. Because executors owe a duty to act in the best interests of the beneficiaries, overclaiming expenses, even unintentionally, can expose an executor to a demand to repay the estate and, in serious cases, to removal as executor.
Can a professional executor charge more?
Solicitors and other professional executors are generally entitled to charge for their time under the terms of their appointment or a charging clause in the will, in addition to recovering expenses. This is different from a lay executor, who is a family member or friend acting without professional qualification, and who can only recover expenses, not time, unless the will says otherwise.
How Curtis Legal can help
If you are unsure whether a cost can properly be claimed back from an estate, or you want help setting up proper expense records from the outset, our executor duties team can guide you through it. Read more on our main probate pages, or get in touch for tailored advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an executor claim expenses from the estate?
Yes. An executor can be reimbursed for reasonable expenses properly incurred while administering the estate, such as postage, travel, valuation fees and the probate court fee, but not for their own time unless the will provides for this.
What mileage rate can an executor claim?
From 6 April 2026 the HMRC approved rate for cars and vans is 55p per mile for the first 10,000 business miles in the tax year, falling to 25p per mile after that.
Can an executor be paid for their time?
A lay executor cannot normally be paid for their time, only reimbursed for expenses, unless the will contains a charging clause or the beneficiaries agree. Professional executors, such as solicitors, can usually charge for time under their terms of appointment.
Do I need receipts to claim executor expenses?
You should keep receipts or invoices for every expense claimed back from the estate, together with a simple record of the date, amount and reason, to protect yourself and to support the final estate accounts.
What happens if an executor overclaims expenses?
Beneficiaries can challenge expenses that look excessive or improper, and an executor who has overclaimed can be required to repay the estate and, in serious cases, removed as executor.
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If you need clarity on what you can and cannot claim as an executor, call us on 0800 214 216 for a same-day callback.
Written by Simon Jenkins, solicitor and director of Curtis Legal Limited (Simon Jenkins SRA 167489; Curtis Legal Limited SRA 450129).
