Checked on each bank’s own website, 3 November 2026
How much each bank releases without probate
Most banks and building societies release up to £50,000 in the person’s name alone without probate. Some set lower limits: Monzo’s is £25,000, Starling’s £30,000, Metro Bank’s £35,000 and Principality’s £40,000, and NS&I can ask from £5,000. HSBC UK and First Direct drop to £25,000 if there’s no will.
23 banks and building societies, each linked to the page or PDF its figure comes from. England and Wales. Guidance, not legal advice.
Check each of their banks
Pick a bank, type roughly how much was in their name alone, and see whether that bank will ask for probate.
Every bank’s limit
| Bank or building society | Releases without probate |
|---|---|
| Bank of Scotland | No published limit. Decides account by account |
| Barclays | Up to £50,000. Across all their sole accounts |
| Chase | No published limit. Its page asks for a grant only “if you have one” |
| Co-operative Bank | Up to £50,000. Including smile accounts |
| Coventry Building Society | Up to £50,000. May still ask for probate below this |
| First Direct | Up to £50,000 with a will, £25,000 without |
| Halifax | No published limit. Decides account by account |
| HSBC UK | Up to £50,000 with a will, £25,000 without. May still ask for probate below this |
| Leeds Building Society | Up to £50,000 |
| Lloyds Bank | Up to £50,000. Banking and savings accounts, from its bereavement guide (PDF) |
| Metro Bank | Up to £35,000. Probate needed whatever the balance if they had a safe deposit box |
| Monzo | Up to £25,000. Investments and pensions: £20,000 |
| Nationwide | Up to £50,000. Sole accounts |
| NatWest | Up to £50,000. Accounts in their name only, from its closure form (PDF) |
| NS&I (including Premium Bonds) | Up to £5,000. May ask for probate from £5,000, and can ask at any amount |
| Principality Building Society | Up to £40,000. £20,000 or more needs the closure form witnessed by a solicitor |
| Royal Bank of Scotland | Up to £50,000. Accounts in their name only, from its closure form (PDF) |
| Santander | Up to £50,000. Across all their sole accounts |
| Skipton Building Society | Up to £50,000. Over £5,000 also needs a sworn statutory declaration |
| Starling | Up to £30,000 |
| TSB | No published limit. Decides account by account |
| Virgin Money | Up to £50,000. Including its unit trusts and pensions |
| Yorkshire Building Society | Up to £50,000 |
Each figure was read on the bank’s own website on 3 November 2026; the bank’s name links to the page. Spotted a change? hello@probatechecklist.co.uk
How to read the limits
- Only money in their name alone counts. Joint accounts usually pass straight to the other account holder.
- The limit is per bank. Add up all their accounts at that bank. Money at different banks is judged separately.
- It’s each bank’s policy, not the law. A bank can still ask for probate below its limit.
- One bank over its limit is enough. You’ll apply for probate, and the grant then works at every bank.
- Banks are only part of it. A house in their name alone, shares and some pensions are decided separately. Check whether you need probate at all.
Questions about bank limits
How much can a bank release without probate?
Each bank sets its own limit for money in the person’s name alone. Most release up to £50,000 without probate: Barclays, Co-operative Bank, Coventry Building Society, Leeds Building Society, Lloyds Bank, Nationwide, NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, Santander, Skipton Building Society, Virgin Money and Yorkshire Building Society. HSBC UK and First Direct release up to £50,000 with a will and £25,000 without. Monzo’s is £25,000, Starling’s £30,000, Metro Bank’s £35,000 and Principality’s £40,000. NS&I can ask for probate from £5,000. Every figure is from the bank’s own website, checked 3 November 2026.
Is the limit per account or per bank?
Per bank. Banks add up every account in the person’s name alone, so two Barclays savings accounts of £30,000 each count as £60,000, which is over its limit. Money at different banks is judged separately.
Which banks publish no limit?
Bank of Scotland, Chase, Halifax and TSB publish no figure. Tell them about the death and ask whether they need probate before they release the money.
Do joint accounts need probate?
Usually not. A joint account normally passes straight to the other account holder, so it doesn’t count towards the bank’s limit. Only money in the person’s name alone does.
Can a bank still ask for probate below its limit?
Yes. The limits are each bank’s own policy, not the law. NS&I and Coventry Building Society both say they can ask at any amount, and Skipton says only that it “may be able to” release money below its limit. If one bank needs probate you apply anyway, and the grant then works at every bank.
If you do need probate
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