Probate qualifier
Will you need probate to release the bank account?
Check each bank in turn. We use the bank's own published bereavement policy to give you a clear answer, and the five next steps that follow from it.
Probate qualifier
Will you need probate?
Which bank are you tackling first?
Pick the bank you'd most like to deal with first. You can add as many as you need.
How bank probate thresholds work
Most UK banks set a balance limit. If the total in the person's sole accounts at that bank is below the limit, the bank will usually release the money to the personal representative without a Grant of Probate, against a small-estate declaration or indemnity form. Above the limit, the bank asks to see a Grant of Probate (or a Certificate of Confirmation in Scotland) before releasing funds. The check above uses each bank's current policy to show you which side of the line you are on.
Why the limit is different at each bank
There is no single legal threshold. Each bank sets its own as a commercial decision, so the figure ranges from around £5,000 at some digital banks to £50,000 at most high-street names, with several building societies in between. Because the limits are discretionary, a bank can still ask for probate below its usual figure where an estate is more involved.
What "case-by-case" means
Some banks, including HSBC and several Northern Ireland banks, publish no fixed figure and decide each estate individually. For these, the bereavement team reviews the balance and circumstances and tells you whether a Grant is needed. If the checker shows "case-by-case" for a bank, contact their bereavement team for a decision on your specific estate.
In Scotland, the equivalent of a Grant of Probate is a Certificate of Confirmation. In Northern Ireland the process mirrors England and Wales, though several NI banks assess release case-by-case.
Common questions
- Do I always need probate to close a bank account?
- No. If the balance in the person's sole accounts at a bank is below that bank's threshold, the bank will usually release the money to the personal representative against a small-estate declaration, without a Grant of Probate. A Grant is typically needed only above the threshold, or where the estate includes property or shares.
- How much money can you have in the bank before probate is needed?
- It depends on the bank, as there is no single legal figure. Limits range from around £5,000 at some digital banks to £50,000 at most high-street names, applied to the total across the sole accounts held at that bank. Use the checker above to see the figure for a specific bank.
- What does "case-by-case" mean for probate?
- Some banks, including HSBC and several Northern Ireland banks, publish no fixed threshold and assess each estate individually. For these, contact the bereavement team, who will confirm whether a Grant of Probate is required given the balance and circumstances.
- Do joint accounts need probate?
- Usually not. A joint account normally passes straight to the surviving account holder by survivorship, whatever the balance, so probate is not needed to access it. The threshold applies to accounts held in the person's sole name.
These limits are indicative and can change at any time. Always confirm the current requirement with the bank before deciding whether to apply for probate.
Want the full after-death checklist?
Related: Bank Probate Thresholds (full table), Notifying Banks After a Death, and Do I Need Probate?
Per-bank guides: Nationwide, Halifax, HSBC, Barclays, Lloyds Bank, Santander, Co-operative Bank, NatWest, TSB, First Direct, Bank of Scotland, Skipton Building Society, Coventry Building Society, Yorkshire Building Society, Leeds Building Society, and Virgin Money.