Shares after death

Last reviewed 18 August 2026

Shareholdings sit awkwardly in an estate: administered not by a bank but by a registrar, and governed by thresholds of their own.

How registrars deal with a death

Company shares are managed by registrars — Computershare, MUFG Corporate Markets (formerly Link) and others. To transfer or sell the holding you will generally need a grant of probate, though registrars, like banks, release small holdings without one, usually somewhere in the £5,000–£15,000 range against a small-estates indemnity. The exact figure is set by each registrar, so confirm it.

Transfer or sell

The executor can either sell the shares and pay the proceeds into the estate, or transfer them to a beneficiary. Both routes go through the registrar and, above the small-holding threshold, require the grant. Value the holding at the date of death for inheritance tax.

Sources. Share registrar bereavement processes (Computershare, MUFG Corporate Markets); small-holding thresholds vary — confirm and date per registrar at build.