The short answer
NatWest does not publish a fixed probate limit; it decides case by case. Sources commonly cite somewhere between £25,000 and £50,000 across a person's NatWest accounts, so the figures genuinely conflict. Confirm the current position with NatWest's bereavement team rather than relying on a single number. RBS and Ulster Bank accounts are assessed separately.
Probate Checker
Will you need probate for NatWest?
Answer a few questions about the accounts, sole or joint, the balance, and whether there is a will, and get the verdict for NatWest and your next steps. Verified May 2026.
How NatWest's limit works
NatWest prints no figure on any of its own pages and assesses each estate individually. Secondary sources split on what the working figure is: some cite £25,000, others £50,000 on the basis that the major banks aligned in recent years. Because the sources conflict and NatWest itself stays quiet, treat any single number with care and confirm with the bereavement team.
Where it does assess release, NatWest looks at the total held in the person's sole-name NatWest accounts. Royal Bank of Scotland and Ulster Bank sit in the same group but are assessed separately, so their balances are not added to NatWest's. A joint account usually passes to the surviving account holder by survivorship, whatever the balance.
When a Grant may not be needed
For a smaller estate, NatWest can release funds against a small-estates declaration where it offers one, rather than a Grant. Once the paperwork is in, funds are usually released within about 5 to 10 working days. You provide the supporting documents below.
For a smaller estate you will usually need:
- A certified copy of the death certificate
- Identification for the person dealing with the estate
- NatWest's completed bereavement form, and any small-estate declaration it provides
If you are not sure which side of the line the estate falls, the Probate Checker shows NatWest's current position in a couple of clicks.
When a Grant is required
Where the balance is higher, or the estate is more involved, NatWest asks to see a Grant of Probate, Letters of Administration, or a Certificate of Confirmation in Scotland, before it releases the money. Because the decision is case by case, the bereavement team confirms whether a Grant is needed for your specific estate.
Our guide to how to apply for probate walks through the forms, fees and timelines, and probate in Scotland covers the Confirmation process if the death was registered there.
Funeral costs before probate
NatWest will consider paying a funeral director's invoice directly from the account before probate, decided case by case. Send the invoice rather than an estimate, and ask the bereavement team to confirm what it can release toward the funeral.
How to notify NatWest
You notify NatWest's bereavement team, who open a case and confirm what they need for the accounts involved.
- Phone: 0800 161 5903 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm, and Saturday, 9am to 5pm (please confirm current hours))
- Online: natwest.com bereavement support
- Email: berdocuments@natwest.com
NatWest is part of NatWest Group alongside Royal Bank of Scotland and Ulster Bank. Those brands are assessed separately, so their balances are not combined with NatWest's when the bereavement team looks at the estate.
For the full picture on what to send and what to expect back, see our guide to notifying banks after a death.
Step by step
- Register the death and order extra certified copies of the death certificate.
- Call NatWest's bereavement team to open a case and ask what the current position is for the accounts involved.
- Ask directly whether a Grant is needed for this estate, given that the published figures conflict.
- Gather the documents: a death certificate, your own identification, and any small-estates declaration NatWest provides.
- If a funeral is being arranged, send the funeral director's invoice and keep a note of your case reference.
Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland
In Scotland there is no Grant of Probate. The equivalent is a Certificate of Confirmation from the sheriff court. Where NatWest would otherwise ask for a Grant, it asks for Confirmation instead.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland follows a process close to England and Wales, with a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration issued by the Probate Office. Several Northern Ireland banks assess release case by case, so confirm the position with the bereavement team.
Frequently asked questions
Curious how AfterLoss handles all this? Walk through the demo. No signup required.
This guide is regularly updated and built for UK law. Start your AfterLoss case for a personalised, step-by-step plan.