Thank you grannyactivist, I have never had to deal with a solicitor regarding a will before and just wondered whether it was normal practice.
But I have just re-read my solicitor's terms and conditions and have found the relevant sentence in there - 'invoices will be raised regularly and monies will be transferred from the assets recovered to meet the same.'
So it seems that is what will happen. Just got to sign the invoice and drop it in, then he will send me a cheque for the balance.
Our Welfare State. Is it broken?