How much can be released without probate? Every UK bank's threshold, checked 30 Aug 2026.

A bereavement (or 'small estate') threshold is the amount a bank will release from a deceased person's account to their executor or next of kin without first seeing a grant of probate or letters of administration.

Each bank sets its own figure and its own conditions — there is no single number that applies across the whole industry.

Yes. A published threshold is usually a ceiling, not a guarantee. Banks generally still expect a death certificate, proof of identity, and evidence of the applicant's relationship to the deceased — and the bereavement team can still ask for a grant of probate if anything looks unclear.

Not necessarily for the bank accounts themselves — but probate can still be required for other reasons, such as selling a property held in the deceased's sole name. Check each institution the deceased held assets with individually; thresholds vary by account type as well as by bank.

Many banks will pay a funeral invoice directly to the funeral director from the deceased's account, even above their normal bereavement threshold, without waiting for probate. Exactly what else is released early — and under what conditions — varies by bank; check the individual bank's page for what it has confirmed.