Probate delays still forcing charities to sell assets and cut services 

12 November 2025 | Senior charity executives have warned that almost nine in 10 charities (87%) are being forced to sell assets and cut back on services as a result of continued delays in probate grants.  

In a poll of 100 UK charity board directors, finance directors, investment managers and investment directors looking after £3.7bn in investments, Rathbones, one of the UK’s leading wealth management groups found that 87% of charities are being negatively impacted by delays, with more than one in ten reporting being very badly affected.  

Gifts in wills currently provide around £4.5 billion annually for UK charities, providing essential income.  Over half (57%) of charity executives asked say delays have meant they have sold vital assets, such as property, to fill the financial gap. Around half (51%) say it has adversely affected recruitment and worryingly, 43% say they have had to cut back on vital services. Others report having to make redundancies (38%) and cutting back on research (24%). 

Legacy giving is a vital source of funding for charities, but delays have plagued the system since the pandemic, forcing charities to make difficult decisions to keep afloat while waiting on probate. Despite progress earlier this year hailed by the government, the system remains fragile, with many estates still facing long delays, leaving charities unable to access vital legacy income when they need it most.

The research found that, on average, 14% of each charity’s annual income is still currently being held up by probate issues – exactly the same amount as it was back in May 2024 in an earlier Rathbones study. 

Andy Pitt, Head of Charities at Rathbones, said: “While there have been improvements in probate waiting times over the last six months, this is still a live issue for charities, and costing them millions of pounds of vital income. It’s forcing charity executives to make impossible financial decisions on how to survive.

“Charities are having to become increasingly agile and resilient to build against these kinds of disruptions in an already challenging environment. It is critical charities ensure their investment portfolios are structured to provide liquidity when needed, balancing long-term growth with short-term flexibility, while also ensuring they have the clarity and foresight to anticipate and plan for times of financial stress.”

A third (36%) of charities said as much as between 15% and 30% of their income was currently held up because of these delays. Almost nine in 10 (88%) surveyed say they see the importance of people leaving significant amounts of money in wills for charities increasing over the next five years, with 12% saying it will increase significantly. Just 12% say it will stay the same.

Rathbones is responsible for £9.3 billion in funds under management for more than 3,000 charities. Charities have entrusted their investments with Rathbones for over 100 years, thanks to its dedicated investment managers who are accountable for every aspect of a charity’s portfolio which range in value from £10,000 to more than £100 million. 

Ends

Notes to Editors

Research was commissioned by Rathbones Group, via independent research agency Pureprofile, to interview 100 senior charity executives, including board directors, finance directors, investment managers and investment directors during September 2025. 

Earlier research was commissioned by Rathbones Group, via the market research company Pureprofile to interview 101 senior executives at UK charities including board directors, finance directors, investment managers and investment directors during May 2024

For further information, please contact:

Hugh Morris (hugh.morris@rathbones.com)

Press@rathbones.com