Probate threshold checker

Last reviewed 18 August 2026

This short reckoner applies the tests set out across our bank pages to your own circumstances. It offers guidance, not a guarantee — each bank decides its own case.

How it works

Consider each account in turn. If it was held jointly, it passes to the survivor and needs no grant. If it was in the deceased’s sole name, compare the balance at the date of death to that bank’s threshold: below it, the bank will usually release funds against a death certificate; above it, a grant is generally required. Repeat for each institution — the thresholds apply per bank, not to the estate as a whole.

Then check the property

Separately, any property in the deceased’s sole name (or a share held as tenants in common) will normally require a grant regardless of bank balances. If in doubt, our diagnostic on whether probate is needed sets out the full tests.

Sources. Individual bank bereavement policies; GOV.UK, Applying for probate.