Check your bank's limit

Last checked September 2026 by Naomi Jackson

Short answer

Most UK banks release money on a death certificate alone up to a set amount, then ask for probate, or confirmation in Scotland. Published thresholds across 33 banks and building societies run from £5,000 to £50,000. The limit applies per bank, across all sole-name accounts there, and every bank can still ask for the grant.

Institutions listed: 33
Range of published limits: £5,000 to £50,000
How it is counted: Per bank, across sole-name accounts. Joint accounts usually excluded.
Scotland: Confirmation is the Scottish equivalent of probate, and banks treat it the same.

Find your bank below. Each figure links to the bank's own bereavement page.

How the limits work

The limit applies per bank, across everything held in their sole name with that bank, not per account.

Anything in a joint account usually passes straight to the other account holder and does not count towards it.

Every threshold is a discretion. A bank can still ask for the grant if the estate is complicated, disputed, or there is no will.

Each figure below comes from the bank's own bereavement page or form, linked on every card. Where a bank does not publish a figure we say so rather than guess, and the number to ring is there instead.

Aldermore Bank

£35,000

Below the limit: Their account closure form, with the death certificate, for balances under £35,000.
Above the limit: A grant of probate, letters of administration, or a certificate of confirmation in Scotland, for balances over £35,000.

Their bereavement page

Checked 9 September 2026

Atom Bank

Decided case by case

Below the limit: No published figure. Atom is app-only and confirms what it needs once notified.
Above the limit: Ask their support team what they will need for the balance involved.

0333 399 0050 Their bereavement page

Checked 9 September 2026

Bank of ScotlandLloyds Banking Group

Decided case by case

Below the limit: Bank of Scotland do not publish a figure. They decide case by case once you notify them.
Above the limit: Ask their bereavement team what they will need for the balance involved.

Their bereavement page

Checked 8 September 2026

Barclays

£50,000

Below the limit: The death certificate and Barclays' own settlement forms. They add up everything held in their sole name across Barclays.
Above the limit: A grant of probate, or letters of administration where there is no will.

0345 734 5345 Their bereavement page

Checked 8 September 2026

Chase UK

Decided case by case

Below the limit: No published figure. They confirm what they need after you notify them.
Above the limit: Ask their bereavement team what they will need.

Their bereavement page

Checked 8 September 2026

Coventry Building Society

£50,000

Below the limit: Their account closure form after bereavement, with the death certificate.
Above the limit: A sealed or certified grant of representation.

Their bereavement page

Checked 8 September 2026

Cumberland Building Society

£30,000

Below the limit: A bereavement declaration form for estates valued under £30,000.
Above the limit: A grant of probate, or a certificate of confirmation in Scotland, for estates over £30,000.

Their bereavement page

Checked 9 September 2026

Danske Bank

£50,000

Below the limit: Their indemnity form, used to release money where the deceased held a total amount below £50,000.
Above the limit: A grant of probate, letters of administration, or a certificate of confirmation in Scotland.

Their bereavement page

Checked 9 September 2026

first directHSBC UK Group

£50,000

Below the limit: Up to £50,000 where there is a will, or £25,000 where there is not, on the death certificate and their bereavement forms.
Above the limit: A grant of probate, or letters of administration where there is no will.

Their bereavement page

Checked 9 September 2026

Furness Building Society

£30,000

Below the limit: A withdrawal form for close family beneficiaries under £30,000, or under £5,000 for other beneficiaries.
Above the limit: A grant of probate, letters of administration, or a certificate of confirmation in Scotland.

Their bereavement page

Checked 9 September 2026

HalifaxLloyds Banking Group

Decided case by case

Below the limit: Halifax do not publish a figure. They decide case by case once you notify them.
Above the limit: Ask their bereavement team what they will need for the balance involved.

Their bereavement page

Checked 8 September 2026

HSBC UKAlso covers first direct and M&S Bank accounts

£50,000

Below the limit: Up to £50,000 where there is a will, or £25,000 where there is not, on the death certificate and their estate closure form.
Above the limit: A grant of probate, or letters of administration where there is no will.

Their bereavement page

Checked 8 September 2026

Leeds Building Society

£50,000

Below the limit: Their standard account closure form, with the death certificate.
Above the limit: Their over £50,000 closure form, with the grant of probate or certificate of confirmation.

03452 682 642 Their bereavement page

Checked 8 September 2026

Lloyds BankLloyds Banking Group

Decided case by case

Below the limit: Lloyds do not publish a figure. They decide case by case once you have told them, and small balances are commonly released on the death certificate alone.
Above the limit: Ask their bereavement team what they will need before you apply for anything.

0345 300 0000 Their bereavement page

Checked 8 September 2026

Metro Bank

Decided case by case

Below the limit: Metro Bank do not publish a single figure. Their indemnity form covers balances between £5,000 and £25,000, so smaller amounts are usually released without a grant.
Above the limit: Ask their bereavement team what they need for the balance you are dealing with.

0345 08 08 500 Their bereavement page

Checked 8 September 2026

Monzo

Decided case by case

Below the limit: No published figure. Monzo review each estate individually.
Above the limit: Ask their bereavement team what they will need.

Their bereavement page

Checked 8 September 2026

Nationwide Building Society

£50,000

Below the limit: The death certificate and Nationwide's request to close accounts form.
Above the limit: A grant of representation, plus their closure form signed by everyone acting as personal representative.

0800 464 3018 Their bereavement page

Checked 8 September 2026

NatWest and Royal Bank of ScotlandNatWest Group

£50,000

Below the limit: The death certificate and their bereavement account closure form.
Above the limit: A grant of probate, letters of administration, or a certificate of confirmation in Scotland.

Their bereavement page

Checked 8 September 2026

Newcastle Building Society

£30,000

Below the limit: Their personal representative registration form, with the death certificate.
Above the limit: A grant of probate, letters of administration, or a certificate of confirmation in Scotland, needed once sole savings exceed £30,000.

Their bereavement page

Checked 9 September 2026

Nottingham Building Society

£50,000

Below the limit: An indemnity closure form under £5,000, or an indemnity plus a statutory declaration between £5,001 and £50,000.
Above the limit: A grant of probate, letters of administration, or their withdrawal form for use with a grant.

Their bereavement page

Checked 9 September 2026

NS&I

£5,000

Below the limit: Their death claims form. NS&I say they may ask for a grant of representation once a customer's total NS&I savings reach £5,000 or more, but this is not a fixed cut-off.
Above the limit: A grant of representation, if NS&I ask for one after reviewing the claim.

0300 123 1072 Their bereavement page

Checked 9 September 2026

Principality Building Society

Decided case by case

Below the limit: No published figure. They confirm what they need after you notify them.
Above the limit: Ask their bereavement team what they will need for the balance involved.

0330 333 4000 Their bereavement page

Checked 9 September 2026

Santander UK

£50,000

Below the limit: The death certificate and Santander's own bereavement instruction form.
Above the limit: A grant of probate, letters of administration, or a certificate of confirmation in Scotland.

Their bereavement page

Checked 9 September 2026

Shawbrook Bank

Decided case by case

Below the limit: No published figure. They confirm what they need once you notify them, and work with the Death Notification Service.
Above the limit: Ask their bereavement team what they will need for the balance involved.

0330 123 2734 Their bereavement page

Checked 9 September 2026

Skipton Building Society

£50,000

Below the limit: Their account closure forms for balances under £50,000, with the death certificate. Balances under £5,000 can be released by email with a scanned copy.
Above the limit: A grant of probate, letters of administration, or a certificate of confirmation in Scotland.

Their bereavement page

Checked 9 September 2026

Starling Bank

Decided case by case

Below the limit: No published figure. Starling review each estate individually.
Above the limit: Ask their bereavement team what they will need.

Their bereavement page

Checked 8 September 2026

Tesco Bank

£50,000

Below the limit: The death certificate and Tesco Bank's own bereavement forms.
Above the limit: A grant of probate, letters of administration, or a certificate of confirmation in Scotland, needed once sole-name balances exceed £50,000.

Their bereavement page

Checked 9 September 2026

The Co-operative Bank

Decided case by case

Below the limit: No published figure. They confirm what they need after you notify them.
Above the limit: Ask their bereavement team what they will need.

Their bereavement page

Checked 8 September 2026

TSB

Decided case by case

Below the limit: TSB do not publish a figure. They confirm it once you have registered the death with them.
Above the limit: Ask their bereavement team what they will need.

0345 835 7834 Their bereavement page

Checked 8 September 2026

Ulster BankNatWest Group

Decided case by case

Below the limit: No published figure. Their Bereavement Services Team confirm what is needed once notified.
Above the limit: Ask their bereavement team what they will need for the balance involved.

0800 096 3612 Their bereavement page

Checked 9 September 2026

Virgin MoneyIncludes Clydesdale Bank and Yorkshire Bank accounts

£50,000

Below the limit: An original or certified copy of the death certificate; below £50,000 they can also work from their own form instead of a grant.
Above the limit: A grant of probate, letters of administration, or a certificate of confirmation in Scotland.

Their bereavement page

Checked 9 September 2026

West Brom Building Society

£30,000

Below the limit: Their account closure form for balances below £30,000, with the death certificate.
Above the limit: Their account closure form for balances above £30,000, with the grant of probate.

Their bereavement page

Checked 9 September 2026

Yorkshire Building Society

£50,000

Below the limit: Their under £50,000 declaration form, with the death certificate.
Above the limit: Their over £50,000 form, with a copy of the grant of representation.

Their bereavement page

Checked 8 September 2026

Next steps

Common questions

Is the limit per account or per bank?

Per bank, not per account. Banks add up everything held in the person's sole name with them, including savings and current accounts, and compare the total against their threshold.

Do joint accounts count?

Usually not. Money in a joint account normally passes straight to the surviving account holder, so it sits outside the estate and outside the bank's threshold.

Can a bank still ask for probate below its limit?

Yes. Every threshold is a discretion, not a right. If the estate looks complicated, there is no will, or there is a dispute, the bank can ask for the grant of probate or confirmation anyway.

Is confirmation different from probate?

No. Confirmation is simply what probate is called in Scotland. It is the same document doing the same job, granted by the sheriff court instead of the Probate Registry, and banks treat it the same way.

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