Check if you need probate After a Death | Funeral Directory
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Check if you need probate

After valuing the estate

Not every estate needs probate. It depends on what the person owned and how it was held. A quick check can tell you where you stand.

Probate is the legal process of getting authority to deal with someone's estate. You need it if the person:

- Owned property in their sole name
- Had bank accounts or savings above a certain threshold (typically £5,000-£50,000, depending on the bank)
- Had shares or investments

You may NOT need probate if:
- Everything was held jointly (and passes automatically to the survivor)
- The estate was very small
- All assets were held in trust

If you do need probate, you can apply yourself or use a specialist. The court fee is £273 for estates worth more than £5,000.

Our free probate check takes about a minute and gives you an indication of whether probate is likely to be needed.

What you will need

  • The estate valuation (approximate is fine for the check)
  • Details of how assets were held (sole or joint names)
1 minute for our free check
Welcome back

Question of 3

Did the person who died own a property?

Including any property in their name, even if jointly owned.

Were there savings, investments, or other assets?

Bank accounts, shares, pensions, or valuables above a few thousand pounds.

Was there a will?

Even if you're not sure where it is, knowing one exists can change the process.

Take the free probate check

If you need probate, a specialist like Sail Probate can handle the process for you. They offer a free initial consultation with no obligation

Check if you need probate (free, 1 minute)
Previous step

14. Value the estate

Next step

16. Apply for probate (if needed)

Your checklist

You are on step 15 of 18.

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