Do I need probate?
Five questions about what the person owned, and you get a clear likely answer. Free, instant, and nothing you enter is saved or sent anywhere.
Question 1 of 5
How the answer is worked out
Probate is about the assets, not the paperwork. A grant is the legal proof banks, the Land Registry and investment providers need before they release money or transfer ownership to anyone else. Whether one is needed comes down to three things: what was owned, how it was owned, and how much each institution will release without one.
Property in a sole name settles the question immediately — it cannot change hands without a grant. Everything else depends on thresholds each bank sets for itself, which is why the honest answer for middling estates is "probably — ask each bank".
Apply For Probate Online is an independent self-help service and is not part of HM Courts & Tribunals Service or GOV.UK. This tool gives general guidance for England & Wales, not legal advice.