Bank limits · From Scottish Widows’s own website, 4 November 2026
Scottish Widows probate limit
Scottish Widows releases up to £50,000 in the person’s name alone without probate. Above that, it asks for a grant of probate (or letters of administration).
“If the total value of the share dealing account(s) at date of death was less than £50,000 and a Grant of Probate is not being obtained we can also accept the above form.”
£36,000 in Scotland. Its other products differ. The most common limit is £50,000, at 21 of the 95 banks and building societies we list.
Will Scottish Widows ask for probate?
Type roughly how much was in their name alone at Scottish Widows. Add their other banks too if you like.
Questions about Scottish Widows and probate
How much can Scottish Widows release without probate?
Scottish Widows releases up to £50,000 in the person’s name alone without probate. Above that, it asks for a grant of probate (or letters of administration). In its own words: “If the total value of the share dealing account(s) at date of death was less than £50,000 and a Grant of Probate is not being obtained we can also accept the above form.” From Scottish Widows’s own website, checked 4 November 2026.
Do joint Scottish Widows accounts need probate?
Usually not. A joint account normally passes straight to the other account holder, so it doesn’t count towards Scottish Widows’s limit. Only money in the person’s name alone does.
Is the Scottish Widows limit per account?
No, banks look at the total. Add up every account in the person’s name alone at Scottish Widows. Money at other banks is judged against each bank’s own limit.
What if the Scottish Widows balance is over the limit?
Apply for probate (or letters of administration if there’s no will), then send Scottish Widows a copy of the grant. One grant works at every bank, so if any one bank needs it, it covers the rest too.
Other banks’ limits
- Al Rayan Bank no published limit
- Aldermore £35,000
- AIB £25,000
- Atom bank no published limit
- Bank of Ireland UK £50,000
- Bank of Scotland no published limit
- Barclays £50,000
- Bath Building Society £20,000
- Beverley Building Society no published limit
- Buckinghamshire Building Society no published limit
- Cambridge Building Society £20,000
- Charter Savings Bank £35,000
- Chase no published limit
- Chip £10,000
- Chorley Building Society £15,000
- Close Brothers Savings £20,000
- Co-operative Bank £50,000
- Coutts no published limit
- Coventry Building Society £50,000
- Cumberland Building Society £30,000
- Cynergy Bank £20,000
- Danske Bank £50,000
- Darlington Building Society £30,000
- Dudley Building Society £15,000
- Earl Shilton Building Society £15,000
- Ecology Building Society £15,000
- Family Building Society £5,000
- First Direct £50,000
- Ford Money £35,000
- Furness Building Society £30,000
- Gatehouse Bank no published limit
- Halifax no published limit
- Hampshire Trust Bank no published limit
- Handelsbanken £20,000
- Hanley Economic £30,000
- Hargreaves Lansdown £50,000
- Harpenden Building Society £30,000
- Hinckley & Rugby Building Society £15,000
- HSBC UK £50,000
- Investec no published limit
- Kent Reliance £35,000
- Kroo £10,000
- Leeds Building Society £50,000
- Leek Building Society £30,000
- Lloyds Bank £50,000
- Loughborough Building Society £15,000
- M&S Bank no published limit
- Manchester Building Society £30,000
- Mansfield Building Society £20,000
- Marcus £20,000
- Market Harborough Building Society £25,000
- Marsden Building Society £15,000
- Melton Building Society £20,000
- Metro Bank £35,000
- Monmouthshire Building Society £35,000
- Monzo £25,000
- National Counties £5,000
- Nationwide £50,000
- NatWest £50,000
- Newbury Building Society no published limit
- Newcastle Building Society £30,000
- Nottingham Building Society £50,000
- NS&I £5,000
- Oxbury Bank no published limit
- Paragon Bank £20,000
- Penrith Building Society no published limit
- Post Office £30,000
- Principality Building Society £40,000
- Progressive Building Society £25,000
- Revolut no published limit
- Royal Bank of Scotland £50,000
- Saffron Building Society £15,000
- Sainsbury’s Bank no published limit
- Santander £50,000
- Scottish Building Society £36,000
- Secure Trust Bank £50,000
- Shawbrook Bank no published limit
- Skipton Building Society £50,000
- Stafford Railway Building Society no published limit
- Starling £30,000
- Suffolk Building Society £25,000
- Swansea Building Society £20,000
- Tandem Bank no published limit
- Teachers Building Society no published limit
- Tesco Bank £50,000
- Tipton & Coseley Building Society £15,000
- Triodos Bank £25,000
- TSB no published limit
- Vernon Building Society £25,000
- Virgin Money £50,000
- West Brom £30,000
- Wise no published limit
- Yorkshire Building Society £50,000
- Zopa no published limit
Not sure you need probate at all? Use the 3-question checker. Spotted a change at Scottish Widows? hello@probatechecklist.co.uk