There is no single UK probate limit. Each bank, building society or financial institution sets its own requirements. Whether a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration is needed depends on the assets and the provider’s conditions. In Scotland the corresponding document is Confirmation.
Published limits are not guarantees of release: a provider may still require a grant below its stated figure. Release by one institution does not mean a grant is unnecessary for the rest of the estate.
Limits and supporting guidance checked: 3 October 2026. This is a selection of providers, not an exhaustive directory. Policies can change.
Related brands are grouped for convenience. Corporate ownership does not establish a shared probate limit. Ask which accounts, brands and products the provider adds together. These policies are separate from FSCS protection limits.
“Below” excludes the figure; “up to” includes it. “Reported” means the figure has not been directly verified as a current policy. “Confirm” flags a question or uncertainty; it does not mean a grant is always required.
Finding current guidance: The Website links open each provider’s main site. Use its search box to search for bereavement or small estates. Confirm the current requirements with the provider.
Telephone contacts checked: 3 October 2026. Numbers shown are UK contacts. Dedicated bereavement lines are labelled; other numbers are customer or product support routes. Tap a number to call on mobile. Where no single number is available, use the provider’s website. Numbers and opening hours can change.
Banks and building societies
| Group / institution | Possible limit | Conditions / what to confirm | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank of Ireland UK General banking support: 0345 736 5555 | Around £50,000; confirm | Current bank webpage says below £50,000; older forms still use £30,000. At exactly £50,000 ask the team. | Website |
| Bank of IrelandPost Office savings supplied by Bank of Ireland UK Savings support: 0800 169 7500 | Below £30,000 on brand guidance; confirm | Post Office guidance still quotes £30,000, while Bank of Ireland UK’s main page quotes £50,000. Confirm the policy for the actual product and whether balances are combined. | Website |
| Bank of IrelandOlder AA savings supplied by Bank of Ireland UK | Below £30,000 on AA guidance; confirm | AA’s legacy-product page requires a grant from £30,000. Newer AA/NatWest accounts have a different provider. | Website |
| Barclays; former Woolwich accounts Bereavement team: 0800 068 2238 Option 2 for an existing notification. | £50,000 reported; confirm | £50,000 is reported for sole accounts but the current threshold has not been directly verified. Confirm with Barclays, including former Woolwich accounts. | Website |
| BarclaysTesco Bank banking accounts Estates team: 0345 071 6153 | Up to £50,000 | Grant required above £50,000 in sole-name accounts. Tesco Bank says Barclays must be notified separately. Do not assume balances across both are combined. | Website |
| Coventry Building SocietyCoventry; former Stroud & Swindon accounts Bereavement team: 0800 587 4565 | £50,000 boundary; confirm exact treatment | FAQ requires a grant above £50,000, but the closure form directs balances of £50,000 or more to the team. Sole savings assessed at death. | Website |
| Coventry Building SocietyThe Co-operative Bank and smile Accounts support: 0345 721 2212 | Up to £50,000 combined | Published policy combines Co-operative Bank and smile accounts. Grant required above £50,000. Do not assume Coventry balances also count. | Website |
| Coventry Building SocietyBritannia savings Co-operative Bank accounts support: 0345 721 2212 | Confirm for Britannia product | Contact Co-operative Bank for Britannia’s current requirements. Confirm whether Britannia balances are combined with Co-op or smile accounts. | Website |
| Goldman Sachs International BankMarcus and Saga savings supplied by Goldman Sachs Marcus Customer Care: 0800 085 6789 | Below £20,000 personally; below £50,000 through a solicitor | Grant generally required at £20,000 or more when handled personally, or £50,000 or more through a solicitor. A linked account that is still open and accepting funds can remove the grant requirement in most cases. Death abroad also changes requirements. | Website |
| HSBC UK Bereavement team: 0800 085 1992 | £50,000 with a Will; £25,000 without a Will | Published amount limits for UK residents; grant can still be requested below them. Confirm the exact boundary and accounts included. | Website |
| HSBCfirst direct Bereavement team: 0113 276 6669 | £50,000 with a Will; £25,000 without a Will | Published amount limits for UK residents. Grant can still be requested below them. Do not assume HSBC/first direct balances are assessed together. | Website |
| HSBCM&S Bank / former M&S Money products General banking support: 0345 900 0900 | Confirm with M&S Bank | No general numeric limit verified. Confirm with M&S Bank; investment products have a separate process. | Website |
| Lloyds Banking GroupLloyds Bank; legacy Cheltenham & Gloucester products Bereavement support: 0800 015 0012 | Confirm with bereavement team | No current general limit directly verified; £50,000 is widely reported. Notify the team of all group products and ask what is combined. | Website |
| Lloyds Banking GroupHalifax; Bank of Scotland Group bereavement support: 0800 015 0012 | Confirm with bereavement team | Older Bank of Scotland forms use £50,000, but a current personal-account figure was not directly verified. Do not infer a single combined group allowance. | Website |
| Lloyds Banking GroupBirmingham Midshires; Intelligent Finance; legacy Saga accounts supplied by this group | Confirm the current provider and product | Legacy accounts may have been closed or transferred. Lloyds says Intelligent Finance requires separate contact. The old Saga group label cannot be used for all Saga savings. | Website |
| Nationwide; former Cheshire, Derbyshire and Dunfermline accounts Bereavement Services: 0800 464 3018 | Below £50,000 | Sole accounts can be closed using the bereavement closure form where no grant is being applied for. Confirm the treatment of exactly £50,000. | Website |
| NationwideVirgin Money; former Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank accounts | Below £50,000 | Virgin Money requires a grant at £50,000 or more. If a grant is already held, send it. Nationwide must be notified separately; ownership does not establish a shared probate limit. | Website |
| NatWest GroupNatWest; transferred Sainsbury’s Bank savings Bereavement team: 0800 161 5903 | £50,000 reported; confirm | Below £50,000 is reported but the current form has not been directly verified. Confirm the limit and inclusion of transferred Sainsbury’s savings. | Website |
| NatWest GroupRoyal Bank of Scotland Bereavement team: 0800 161 5904 | Below £50,000 | Official closure form requires a grant at £50,000 or more across sole-name RBS accounts. Do not automatically combine with NatWest or Coutts. | Website |
| NatWest GroupCoutts Coutts 24 / bereavement notification: 020 7957 2424 | Below £50,000 | Published small-estates rule refers to assets held with Coutts below £50,000. Confirm asset types and conditions with the private banker. | Website |
| NatWest GroupNewer AA savings supplied by NatWest / NatWest Boxed No product-specific phone number verified. Use AA savings support on its website; do not use the legacy Bank of Ireland numbers. | Confirm for AA product | Use the AA savings support route. Do not apply the legacy Bank of Ireland £30,000 figure or assume the ordinary NatWest process is identical. | Website |
| Santander UK Bereavement team: 0800 587 5870 | Up to £50,000 | Grant required above £50,000 across all sole-name Santander accounts. Ask about aggregation with cahoot. | Website |
| Santandercahoot Bereavement team: 0800 015 8414 | Up to £50,000 | Published requirement is a grant above £50,000 across sole-name cahoot accounts. Confirm whether Santander balances are included. | Website |
| SantanderTSB Bereavement team: 0345 835 7834 | Confirm with TSB | Santander acquired TSB on 30 April 2026. TSB still has its own bereavement route. No current numeric threshold verified; do not apply Santander’s figure automatically. | Website |
| Yorkshire Building SocietyYBS; Chelsea; former Barnsley and Norwich & Peterborough accounts Bereavement support: 0345 166 9229 | Below £50,000 | YBS supplies a closure form below £50,000 and requires a grant above £50,000. Confirm exactly £50,000 and legacy accounts. Yorkshire Bank belongs with Virgin Money, not YBS. | Website |
| Skipton Bereavement team: 0345 266 1209 | Below £50,000 | No-grant route requires no other assets needing a grant. Above £5,000 and below £50,000 a statutory declaration is required; additional entitlement conditions apply. | Website |
| Leeds Customer support: 0345 268 2642 | Below £50,000 | Grant required at £50,000 or more. Lower-balance closure form and relevant Will/ID requirements apply. | Website |
| Nottingham Bereavement support: 0344 481 4444 | Up to £50,000 including accrued interest | Above £5,000 up to £50,000 the indemnity must be witnessed by a solicitor or commissioner for oaths. Grant required above £50,000. | Website |
| Principality Customer support: 0330 333 4000 | Below £40,000 | Up to £19,999 uses a declaration; £20,000–£39,999 requires solicitor witnessing. £40,000 or above requires a grant. Ask about balances with pence near these bands and permitted expense deductions. | Website |
| Newcastle Savings support: 0345 734 4345 | Up to £30,000 | Published guidance requires a grant above £30,000 in sole savings accounts. Other circumstances may also require one. | Website |
| Cumberland Customer support: 01228 403141 | Up to £30,000, subject to conditions | Closure form permits no-grant route where account balances do not exceed £30,000 and no grant is being applied for or obtained. Confirm wider-estate conditions. | Website |
| Monzo bank accounts Customer support / death notification: 0800 802 1281 | Up to £25,000 | Grant required above £25,000. Investments have a different rule and belong in the investments table. | Website |
| Starling personal accounts Customer support / death notification: 020 7930 4450 | Up to £30,000 | Published guidance requires a grant above £30,000. Business and sole-trader processes should be checked separately. | Website |
| Metro Bank Customer support: 0345 080 8500 | Confirm with bereavement team | No current numeric threshold verified from its bereavement page. | Website |
| Triodos Customer support / death notification: 0330 355 0355 | Below £25,000 | Grant required at £25,000 or more in assets held with Triodos; also required if a grant is being applied for regardless of the balance. | Website |
| Danske Bank GroupDanske Bank UK / former Northern Bank Bereavement support: 0345 600 2882 | Below £50,000 | Published glossary describes small-estates indemnity for totals below £50,000. Ask the team about eligibility and relevant jurisdiction. | Website |
| NS&I, including Premium Bonds Customer support: 0808 500 7007 | May request a grant from £5,000 | Total across NS&I savings, not a separate allowance per product. NS&I reserves the right to request a grant at any value. | Website |
Paying for the funeral before probate
Even when a grant is needed to close an account, the provider may be able to pay a funeral director’s invoice directly from the deceased’s funds. Ask the bereavement team before paying personally, and confirm which other expenses can be paid and what documents are needed. An expense payment does not automatically change the probate requirement.
Investments: release without probate
Investment limits depend on the provider and product. Ask whether applying for a grant for another asset prevents use of a small-estates process, and whether investments can be transferred or must be sold. Values can change during administration.
| Provider / product | Possible limit | Conditions / what to confirm | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aberdeen platformsWrap: Cash, Personal Portfolio and ISA Wrap support: 0345 279 1001 | Up to £75,000 | Small-claims route where no grant is being applied for. Confirm aggregation across these products. | Website |
| Aberdeen platformsWrap: onshore bonds Wrap support: 0345 279 1001 | £15,000 boundary; confirm | Official guidance requires probate above £15,000. Ask for the release requirements at or below that value; the £75,000 platform figure does not apply. | Website |
| Aberdeen platformsElevate: General Investment Account and ISA | Up to £75,000 | Small-claims route where no grant is being applied for. Confirm which accounts are combined. | Website |
| Aberdeen direct investmentsDirect OEIC / unit trust holdings UK funds support: 0345 113 6966 | Confirm with provider | Do not extend the Wrap or Elevate limit to direct fund holdings. For legacy Standard Life-labelled investments, identify the current administrator and exact product. | Website |
| Aegon Platform: ISA and solely owned GIA | Below £50,000 combined | Small Estates Scheme where no grant is being sought. Forms and supporting documents are required; confirm conditions for sale, cash withdrawal or transfer. Other Aegon products need their own check. | Website |
| AJ BellNon-pension investment accounts Bereavement team: 0161 605 0326 | Confirm with provider | No general numerical exemption verified in the official guidance checked. Request the bereavement pack and requirements for the actual account. | Website |
| Aviva Investors holdings Aviva Investors support: 0800 051 2003 | Below £50,000 | Small-estates route available. The guide gives inconsistent instructions where a grant has been applied for but not issued: confirm eligibility. Declarations for £25,000 or more require professional witnessing. | Website |
| AvivaOther Aviva investments, bonds or platform products Bereavement notification: 0345 268 2194 | Confirm for exact product | The Aviva Investors figure is not a blanket limit for all Aviva policies. Use the product-specific bereavement team. | Website |
| FidelityNon-pension investments Bereavement team: 0800 414 116 | Below £50,000 in total Fidelity assets | Small-estates form requires a Will and no grant application. It also requires the total estate to be below the current inheritance-tax nil-rate band. Without a Will, Fidelity says a grant is required. All named executors sign. | Website |
| Hargreaves LansdownNon-pension assets: with a Will Bereavement team: 0117 906 7806 | Below £50,000 at HL | Small Estates Declaration and Indemnity plus certified Will, where probate is not already being applied for. Pension assets are excluded from this calculation. | Website |
| Hargreaves LansdownNon-pension assets: no Will Bereavement team: 0117 906 7806 | Below £500 at HL | HL says Letters of Administration are required unless assets held with it are below £500. Do not apply the £50,000 Will-based figure to intestacy. | Website |
| interactive investorNon-pension investment accounts Customer support: 0345 607 6001 | Confirm with provider | No numerical small-estates exemption verified in the official guidance checked. Ask which grant or alternative documents are needed. | Website |
| QuilterInvestments and investment bonds Bereavement team: 0808 171 2587 | Confirm for exact product | Requirements depend on the product and ownership. No general numerical limit verified; ask about the specific ISA, investment account or bond. | Website |
| VanguardISA and General Accounts Investor support / death notification: 0800 587 0460 | Below £35,000 combined | Small-estates route where no grant is needed and no other institution is requesting probate. Confirm eligibility with the bereavement specialist. | Website |
Shares held through a registrar
Registrar schemes may assess each company or shareholding separately. Include unpaid dividends or other outstanding payments where required, and confirm any fees.
| Registrar | Possible limit | Conditions / what to confirm | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equiniti / Shareview Bereavement team: 0371 384 2793 | £50,000 or less per company | Combine holdings and outstanding payments in each company at the date of death. No UK inheritance tax, no grant issued and no intention to apply; executor or next of kin must meet the scheme conditions. Fees apply. | Website |
| Computershare Company-specific helpline: use the number on the share statement or find the company’s contact number on Computershare’s website. | Up to £50,000 per company (UK holdings) | Combine multiple holdings in the same company, including outstanding payments. Separate companies are assessed separately. No grant being obtained or planned; declaration and indemnity documents required. Irish holdings have a different euro limit. | Website |
| MUFG Corporate Markets Bereavement team: 0800 181 4702 | Below £30,000 per shareholding; confirm boundary | UK brochure states below £30,000 at death, although its fee table includes £30,000. Confirm exactly £30,000 and aggregation of duplicate holdings. No grant issued and no inheritance tax; scheme conditions and fees apply. Overseas holdings have separate rules. | Website |
Legacy brands: For older AXA or Standard Life-labelled investments, use the current administrator shown on recent correspondence. The historical brand does not establish the current provider or release limit.
Pensions and life insurance: different rules
Pension death benefits and life insurance payouts do not have a single probate release limit. The requirements depend on the scheme or policy and who is entitled to receive the money.
Pensions: Benefits paid directly to beneficiaries under the scheme’s rules can usually be dealt with without waiting for probate. If payment is due to the estate, different requirements may apply. Contact each pension provider and ask who can claim and which documents are needed.
Life insurance: A policy held in trust can usually be claimed by its trustees without waiting for probate. Where the proceeds are payable to the estate, the insurer may require a grant or offer its own small-estates procedure. Ask the insurer to confirm the policy’s ownership, any trust arrangements and its claim requirements.
Important: Whether probate is needed and whether a payment is subject to tax are separate questions. Payment without probate does not necessarily mean payment without tax.
Before relying on these limits
- Check the whole estate: another asset may still require a grant.
- Get written confirmation: ask what is combined, which valuation date applies, which documents are needed and whether a grant being sought elsewhere affects eligibility.
- Read any indemnity carefully: it may require repayment if someone else has a valid claim.
- Keep records: retain valuations, correspondence, receipts and details of distributions.
Useful reference: GOV.UK: Applying for probate.
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