A NEW survey into the UK probate process has revealed some shocking statistics about people’s attitude towards, and knowledge of, what happens after a death in the family.

Respondents in the OnePoll “Red Tape of Death” survey, commissioned by probate service comparison website, probatesupermarket.com, were unclear that probate is the administration of a deceased person’s estate.

Three out of ten adults (28%) say they do not know the meaning and over three per cent think that it is a “type of cancer”. Most surprisingly, of those that have experienced the death of a close relative in the past 12 months, almost a fifth (17%) still did not understand the meaning of probate, showing that Brits are lost when dealing with death.

When asked what they dread most if a relative dies, two-fifths (40%) of respondents said that they dread the initial stage of informing family members the most, followed by the sorting out of the deceased’s legal affairs, which rated second in terms of fear factor.

Taking on the probate process alone is shown to be a daunting task. Almost a fifth of adults (17%) dread filling out probate and inheritance tax forms. That is almost as high as job application forms and more than income tax return and mortgage application forms.

The survey further shows that when it comes to taking on personal responsibilities people might dread, probate is the second most difficult task (72%), beaten only by having to put a relative in a care home (82%) and ahead of becoming a carer to a family member (67%).

With nearly 70 per cent of adults unable to correctly put the current individual inheritance tax exemption level at £325,000 - over one in three (35%) putting it much lower, at £125,000, and nearly a quarter (24%) at just £25,000 - the survey highlights how people can benefit from guidance through the complicated process at what is one of the most emotionally difficult times in life.

“We understand the stress and dread that most people have concerning probate and executor duties, coming, as they do, right on top of the grieving process, and it is clear that most people want easy access to straightforward and helpful advice on the best route to manage a deceased relative’s estate”, said probatesupermarket.com managing director, Peter Spillman.

Only just over one in five (21%) were willing to take the “do it yourself” route for probate duties, with a quarter (25%) going straight to a solicitor and 19% asking another family member to assist.

MrSpillman added: “The decision to undertake the probate process yourself should not be taken lightly. The survey shows that people are confused about even the first steps and, while dealing with the stress and emotions that inevitably come with a family death, clear to follow, sound advice from a professional on the legal intricacies can be invaluable.”