NatWest bereavement number and probate limit
Last reviewed 29 September 2026
NatWest’s bereavement team is on 0800 161 5903. The bank does not publish a fixed amount it will release without probate, so the useful questions are how to report the death, what it will pay from the account in the meantime, and when to ask about a grant.
How to tell NatWest about a death
The bereavement team takes calls Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm, on 0800 161 5903 (Relay UK: 18001 0800 161 5903). NatWest says its online form is the quickest route; webchat is also available, and you can report the death at any NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland or Ulster Bank branch.
NatWest takes part in the Death Notification Service, so one online notification can reach it alongside Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds Banking Group, Nationwide and Santander. Once NatWest has the death certificate it writes to the executor or next of kin with the next steps.
What NatWest does straight away
It freezes accounts in the deceased’s sole name, converts joint accounts to the survivor’s sole name, and cancels direct debits and standing orders. Joint accounts do not need a grant.
Paying the funeral from the account
If there is enough in the account, NatWest will pay the funeral director direct, usually within five working days, against an invoice on the funeral director’s headed paper that names the deceased and itemises the costs. It will not reimburse funeral costs someone has already paid, so send the invoice before settling it yourself.
How much NatWest releases without probate
Assessed individually — confirm with NatWest. NatWest (with Royal Bank of Scotland and Ulster Bank) does not publish a threshold. Figures you may see quoted elsewhere are secondary estimates, not the bank’s policy. Give the bereavement team the date-of-death balance and ask whether it will close the accounts on its own forms or needs a grant.
Questions
What is the NatWest bereavement phone number?+
Will NatWest pay for the funeral before probate?+
Does this threshold apply to the whole estate?+
Sources. NatWest bereavement support pages and guide, checked 29 September 2026: phone lines, hours, funeral-payment rules. No threshold is published. Always confirm with the bereavement team.