Delays: Grieving families have been forced to wait up to a year for a probate application to be approved.
Grieving families are facing long waits at the probate office after it indefinitely reduced the opening hours of its telephone line, Money Mail can reveal.
In February, HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) halved the opening hours of its telephone line, reducing it to between 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Monday to Friday, instead of the usual 9:00 a.m. service. 00 to 17:00 hours.
It was expected to last 12 weeks, freeing up civil servants to deal with a huge backlog.
But yesterday, the probate office confirmed the restrictions would continue for an undisclosed period of time.
Families have been forced to wait up to a year for a succession application to be approved.
Five years ago, it took ten days. Without these documents, families cannot handle the affairs of their deceased loved ones and may have to pay taxes and legal fees out of their own pocket.
Family members who call the helpline after lunchtime are directed to the service’s web chat, which when tested by Money Mail said: ‘All our advisers are busy. Try again in a few minutes.
Campaigners have called the move “shameful” as it will leave out elderly customers without access to online services.
Dennis Reed, director of campaign group Silver Voices, says: ‘The majority of people using the service are people who have lost partners or spouses.
‘At that moment people want to talk to a human being, not a machine. It’s very insensitive.’
An HMCTS spokesperson says: “As demand remains high, we have decided to extend the temporary measure of taking staff off our phone lines so they can continue to help process applications more quickly.”
a.cooke@dailymail.co.uk
