Bank Probate Thresholds Explained

A bank probate threshold is the maximum amount a bank or building society will release from a deceased person's accounts without needing to see a Grant of Probate. Below the threshold, the bank can hand over funds on sight of a death certificate and identification alone. Above it, the account is frozen until the executor produces the sealed grant. Understanding these thresholds is one of the first things executors need to establish, because they directly affect whether you need to apply for probate at all.

How thresholds work

Each bank sets its own threshold, independently of any legal requirement. There is no single government-mandated figure. The amounts can and do change, so you should always contact each institution directly to confirm the threshold that applies at the time you are dealing with the estate.

Approximate thresholds at major UK banks (as at May 2026)

The figures below are approximate and based on publicly available information at the time of writing. They are provided as a guide only and may have changed. Always confirm the current figure directly with each institution before drawing any conclusions.

The figures above reflect thresholds as understood at May 2026. Banks change these figures without notice. Treat them as a starting point for your own enquiries, not a definitive guide to what any bank will require today.

What happens below the threshold

If the total balance across all accounts at an institution is below their threshold, the bank will typically release funds to the executor or next of kin without a grant. They will usually ask for:

• An original death certificate (or certified copy)
• Proof of your identity as executor or next of kin
• Sometimes a signed indemnity letter - a simple declaration that you will repay any funds if a creditor or other beneficiary later makes a valid claim

The process is relatively straightforward at this level and can often be completed by post or through the bank's online bereavement service.

What happens above the threshold

If the balance at any institution exceeds their threshold, the bank will freeze the account until you can provide a sealed Grant of Probate (or Letters of Administration, if there was no will). The bank will not release funds - and typically will not even close the account - until they have seen the sealed grant from the Probate Registry.

This is one of the main reasons why working out whether probate is required is an early priority for executors. If a bank account sits above its institution's threshold, you will need to apply for a grant before you can access those funds.

Once you have the grant, you can provide a sealed copy to each bank (banks typically accept photocopies of the sealed grant, but some may ask for an original or a further sealed copy at a cost of £16 per copy from the Probate Registry). The bank will then release the funds or close the account as instructed.

NS&I and the low threshold

NS&I - which includes Premium Bonds, Direct Saver, Income Bonds, and other government savings products - has a notably low threshold of around £5,000 for releasing funds without probate. This catches many executors off guard, particularly when the deceased held a substantial Premium Bonds holding.

If the total NS&I holding exceeds approximately £5,000, you will need the Grant of Probate before NS&I will pay out. This applies even if every other institution in the estate is below its individual threshold.

Premium Bonds

Premium Bonds are managed by NS&I and sit under the same ~£5,000 threshold for releasing without a grant. The Bonds themselves remain eligible for prize draws for up to twelve months after the date of death, after which NS&I will redeem them automatically. You can request early encashment at any point, but doing so ends any further prize eligibility.

Prizes won after the date of death and before the bonds are encashed (or before the 12-month period ends) are paid to the estate. Only prizes won on or before the date of death that have not yet been paid also form part of the estate. If you request early encashment, NS&I will stop entering the bonds into prize draws from that point.

Joint accounts

Joint accounts are handled differently. Where two people held an account jointly, the account typically passes automatically to the surviving account holder by right of survivorship. The bank will remove the deceased's name on sight of the death certificate, and the surviving holder retains full access throughout. Bank probate thresholds do not apply to this process - no grant is needed simply to continue using a joint account.

However, for inheritance tax purposes, the balance in a joint account at the date of death is still assessed as part of the estate, which is a separate consideration.

ISAs and the Additional Permitted Subscription

An ISA held in the deceased's sole name is treated as part of the estate for probate purposes. If the balance exceeds the bank or building society's threshold, a grant will be required before the ISA can be closed and funds released.

A surviving spouse or civil partner can benefit from the Additional Permitted Subscription (APS) rule. This allows the survivor to contribute an additional amount - equal to the value of the deceased's ISA - into their own ISA, preserving the tax-free status even after the ISA itself has been wound up. The APS is a separate process from administering the estate and should be set up with the ISA provider directly.

Practical advice for executors

When you are establishing which institutions held accounts for the deceased, always contact each one individually to:

1. Notify them of the death and have the accounts frozen
2. Obtain a date-of-death balance statement
3. Confirm their current threshold and what documents they will need

Keep a log of every institution, the account reference, the date-of-death balance, and the threshold you have been told. This record becomes the basis for your estate accounts and helps you track which accounts need the grant and which can be settled informally. The guide on notifying banks after death explains the full notification process step by step.

If you are dealing with multiple banks and some are above threshold, you will need to apply for probate. The guide on how to apply for probate covers that process in full.