UK route checker · reviewed 17 September 2026
Do I need probate?
Start with how the assets are owned and what each organisation requires—not a made-up “small estate” cut-off. The result gives you a next route, not a legal ruling.
Private route check · no names or values collected
Check the assets, not just the estate total
Use the property title and written replies from every asset holder. “Not checked” keeps the result open.
What actually decides the England and Wales route?
GOV.UK tells personal representatives to contact every financial organisation used by the person who died because each organisation has its own rules. Probate may not be needed when savings can be released without a grant, or where qualifying jointly owned assets pass automatically to the surviving owner.
A solely owned home, land or tenants-in-common share commonly points towards a grant. The will then helps decide the application route: a named executor normally applies for a grant of probate; without a valid will, an eligible person normally applies for letters of administration.
Your evidence checklist
- the registered title and ownership form for every property interest;
- written requirements from each bank, investment platform, registrar and insurer;
- the latest original will and codicils, if any;
- a complete list of assets, debts, gifts and jointly owned property; and
- any trust, overseas, tax, insolvency or dispute issue requiring specialist help.
If a grant is needed
Estimate the official and professional costs separately
The court fee is only one part of the cost. Compare a DIY application with grant-only, fixed-fee and percentage-based professional routes using explicit assumptions.
Open the probate cost calculator →Read how probate works →Common questions
Do I need probate if there is a will?+
Not automatically. In England and Wales, whether a grant is needed depends mainly on how assets are owned and what each organisation requires. A valid will usually affects who can apply and whether the route is a grant of probate, rather than deciding whether a grant is needed at all.
Is there one probate threshold for every UK bank?+
No. GOV.UK says to contact each financial organisation because every organisation has its own rules. Do not use one bank’s release limit as a universal probate threshold.
Do jointly owned assets need probate?+
Some jointly owned money, shares, land or property can pass automatically to the surviving owner. But the ownership form and any agreement matter. Check the title or account terms and ask the organisation holding the asset.
Do I need probate for a house?+
A solely owned property or a tenants-in-common share will usually point towards a grant route. Property held as joint tenants can pass automatically to the surviving owner. Check the registered title rather than relying on how the family described the ownership.
What happens if there is no valid will?+
If a grant is required and there is no valid will, an eligible person normally applies for letters of administration instead of a grant of probate. The intestacy rules determine who can inherit and who has priority to apply.
Is probate the same in Scotland and Northern Ireland?+
No. Scotland calls the court authority confirmation and has its own procedure. Northern Ireland has its own Probate Office, rules and guidance. The checker sends both routes to their official sources.