Free checker for England and Wales
Do I need probate?
You almost certainly need probate if they owned a house or flat in their name alone. You may not need it if everything was owned jointly, or if they only had savings and each bank agrees to release the money. Answer 3 questions to check.
No sign-up, and nothing you pick is stored. Based on GOV.UK’s guidance, checked 3 November 2026. Guidance, not legal advice.
When you need probate, and when you don’t
| What they owned | Probate needed? |
|---|---|
| A house or flat in their name only | Yes. It can’t be sold or transferred without probate. |
| Their share of a home owned as tenants in common | Yes. Their share goes to whoever inherits under the will or the law, not to the other owners. |
| A home owned as joint tenants, and joint bank accounts | Usually no. Both pass to the surviving owner automatically. |
| Money or shares owned jointly with someone else | Usually no. They pass to the surviving owners, unless they had agreed otherwise. |
| Only savings in a bank or building society | Often no. Most banks release up to £50,000 without probate. Limits for each bank are below. |
| Shares, funds or investments in their name | It depends. Each provider sets its own rules. Ask each one. |
| A small estate, £5,000 or less | Often no. If an organisation does ask for probate, there’s no fee at this size. |
| They lived in Scotland | Different system. Scotland uses “confirmation” instead of probate. |
Sources: check if probate is needed and joint property ownership on GOV.UK.
How much each bank releases without probate
If the money in their own name at one bank is above that bank’s limit, the bank will ask for probate (or letters of administration). Below it, the bank usually releases the money with its own form. Each bank can still ask for probate at lower amounts.
Most banks and building societies set the limit at £50,000, including Barclays, Lloyds, NatWest, Santander and Nationwide. Monzo’s limit 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. Bank of Scotland, Chase, Halifax and TSB publish no figure.
From each bank’s own website, checked 3 November 2026.
See all 23 banks’ limits, with sourcesHow to find out for sure
- List everything in their name alone. Bank and savings accounts, shares and funds, pensions, life insurance, and any property.
- Ask each organisation. Tell each bank and provider about the death and ask whether they need probate before releasing the money. GOV.UK says every organisation has its own rules.
- Check how any property was owned. The title register at HM Land Registry shows whether joint owners were joint tenants or tenants in common. GOV.UK: check ownership details.
- Check it hasn’t been done already. If someone else may have applied, search the probate records.
If you do need probate
The application fee is £526 for estates over £5,000, and the grant usually arrives within 12 weeks of applying. Before you apply you need to value the estate and check for Inheritance Tax. Our free plan puts every step in order for your situation, in about 2 minutes.
Get your free probate planQuestions about whether you need probate
Do I need probate if the house was jointly owned?
It depends on how it was owned. Property owned as joint tenants passes to the other owners automatically, so it doesn’t need probate. A share owned as tenants in common doesn’t pass automatically: it goes to whoever inherits, and that needs probate. The property’s title register at HM Land Registry shows which.
Do I need probate for a small estate?
Often not. GOV.UK says you may not need probate if the person only had savings, and each bank or building society sets its own rules for what it will release without it. If an organisation does need probate and the estate is £5,000 or less, there is no application fee.
How do I find out if a bank needs probate?
Most banks publish a limit: Barclays, Lloyds, NatWest, Santander and Nationwide release up to £50,000 in the person’s own name without probate, while Monzo’s limit 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 (their own websites, checked 3 November 2026). Bank of Scotland, Chase, Halifax and TSB publish no figure. GOV.UK says every organisation has its own rules, so contact each bank’s bereavement team and ask.
Do I need probate if there is no will?
Whether you need it depends on what they owned, not on the will. With no will, the grant is called letters of administration and the closest living relative applies, but the same rules decide whether one is needed.
How do I check if probate has already been granted?
Search the probate records on GOV.UK. It shows grants issued in England and Wales, and you can order a copy of a grant or will.
How much does probate cost if I do need it?
The GOV.UK application fee is £526 if the estate is worth more than £5,000, and nothing if it is £5,000 or less. You usually get the grant within 12 weeks of applying.