Probate Disputes Rise 13% as Complex Family Structures and Property Prices Drive Record Claims
Probate claims issued in the High Court’s Chancery Division rose by 13% in 2025, with the final quarter recording the highest quarterly volume in a decade, according to Legal Futures. The increase reflects a broader trend of growing estate disputes fuelled by rising property values, complex family structures, and an ageing population.
Litigation data platform Solomonic identified what it called a “steady but meaningful rise” in probate cases, noting that “social demographics and economics create an ongoing growth in disputes.”
Edward Bird, chief executive of Solomonic, said probate disputes were “subject to a combination of social and economic factors,” including property price rises and “complex family structures becoming more and more common.”
When you added an ageing population and economic stress, he said, it was “unsurprising that probate disputes are on the increase” and the trend was “set to continue.”
For anyone currently acting as an executor or administrator of an estate, these figures are a useful reminder that disagreements between beneficiaries are not unusual. Blended families, unclear wills, and high-value property can all increase the chance of a dispute. If you are managing an estate and sense a disagreement brewing, seeking early legal advice and obtaining accurate, professional valuations of assets can help reduce the risk of a costly challenge later on.
Probate claims formed part of a wider increase in High Court activity. Solomonic’s annual review of commercial litigation reported that 8,271 High Court claims were issued in 2025, a 7% rise on the previous year and “one of the busiest in recent years for newly issued claims.”
Public sector claims also contributed significantly to that growth, rising by 34%. Solomonic said the increase was “reflected across all public sector groups,” including central government, local authorities, and regulators.
Caseloads on the Chancery Division’s property and intellectual property lists both grew by 21% over the same period.
The top five law firms for High Court litigation activity were largely unchanged from 2024, with Clyde & Co leading the table with involvement in 192 new claims.
Overall, Solomonic concluded that the commercial litigation sector was “in fair condition,” though rising probate and public sector disputes suggest that courts will remain busy well into 2026.