UKResearch
IRN: UK wills, probate and trusts market to reach £3.2 billion as firm numbers fall
The UK wills, probate and trusts market will be worth an estimated £3.2 billion in 2026, up 6% on 2025, according to IRN Legal Reports' UK Wills, Probate & Trusts Market 2026 report. The number of law firms offering wills and probate work fell 12% between 2022 and 2026, while firms handling contentious estate work rose by more than 20%.
Key points
- IRN forecasts a further 6.6% market growth next year.Legal Futures
- About 4,200 firms now offer wills and probate work, and 2,620 handle trusts, down 8.7% over the period.Legal Futures
- IRN said most of the decline came from medium and smaller general practice firms closing or merging.Legal Futures
- Firms doing contentious work numbered 301 for wills, 330 for probate and 211 for trusts.Legal Futures
- Probate claims reaching the High Court rose 13% to 1,216 in 2025.Legal Futures
- Power of attorney registrations fell 11% to 1.3 million in 2025 but rose 19% in the first half of 2026.Legal Futures