Do I need probate for a small estate?

What counts as the estate

The estate is everything the deceased owned in their sole name. It does NOT include joint accounts that pass to the survivor, pensions with a nominated beneficiary, or life insurance written in trust.

Typical bank probate thresholds

Most banks set their own limit for releasing money without a grant of probate. Below that limit they usually accept a death certificate and a small estates indemnity form. Only a few banks publish a fixed figure. Barclays and Nationwide publish £50,000, and HSBC publishes up to £50,000 where there is a will or £25,000 where there is not. Halifax, Lloyds, Bank of Scotland, NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, Santander and TSB do not publish a limit and decide case by case, so it is worth asking them directly. Our bank limits tool lists what each one publishes, with a link to their own bereavement page.

• Barclays: £50,000 (published)
• Nationwide Building Society: £50,000 (published)
• HSBC UK and First Direct: up to £50,000 with a will, £25,000 without
• Most other high street banks: no published limit, decided case by case
• Smaller building societies: often lower, ask before you apply

Doing it without probate

If every asset is below its organisation's threshold, you can administer the estate without a grant. You'll typically need: the death certificate, a copy of the will (or evidence of intestacy), photo ID for the executor or next of kin, and a small estates indemnity form provided by each bank.