In general probate is not needed if the deceased had an estate of less than £5,000. However, there may be exceptions to this rule as it is up to individual institutions to set their own limits as to how much they will release without probate.

If the deceased owned a property in their sole name or had more than £30,000 in any one bank account or investment then probate will DEFINITELY be needed.

Trying to establish yourself whether or not you will need probate can be time consuming and expensive (with many calls to premium rate numbers!). The easiest way to find out is to call us on 0800 028 2837; we will run through the details of the estate with you and then be able to give you a straight answer as to whether or not probate will be needed in your circumstances.