Farra is a death administration assistant for UK families. Get step-by-step guidance for registering a death, applying for probate, notifying banks, and managing bereavement admin. From essential documents to practical checklists, Farra simplifies estate paperwork and funeral-related tasks so you can focus on what matters.
NatWest does not publish a probate threshold. Its bereavement guide does not set a figure above which a grant is required, so whether NatWest needs to see a Grant of Probate, Letters of Administration or — in Scotland — a certificate of confirmation depends on the accounts and products the person held. Ask the bereavement team before you apply for a grant you may not need.
There is not one. NatWest publishes no figure above which a Grant of Probate becomes necessary, and no figure below which it will release funds without one. The only amount its bereavement guide names is a small one: an indemnifying letter, which lets NatWest release money to an executor or next of kin where the total balances held are under £50 and no grant is being applied for. Everything above that is decided case by case, so the only reliable answer comes from the bereavement team.
NatWest is part of NatWest Group, alongside Royal Bank of Scotland and Ulster Bank. NatWest does not say that one notification covers the other brands, so ask when you call rather than assuming either way. For a comparison of what other institutions publish, see our probate threshold guide for 2026–27.
When notifying NatWest of a bereavement, you should have the following ready:
Where NatWest does need proof of authority it will ask for the original Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration, or a certificate of confirmation if the estate is being administered in Scotland.
NatWest provides bereavement support through the following channels:
NatWest will freeze the deceased's accounts upon notification and cancel standing orders and direct debits. Our guide on notifying banks after a death explains how to manage the notification process across multiple institutions efficiently.
Yes, NatWest is a member of the Death Notification Service (DNS). You can submit a single notification through the DNS to inform NatWest and other participating institutions simultaneously. NatWest will then contact you directly to collect the necessary documents and progress the estate.
Yes, NatWest participates in the Direct Payment Scheme (IHT423). This scheme allows NatWest to pay inheritance tax directly to HMRC from the deceased's account before probate is granted — which can be essential where cash is needed to settle the IHT bill before the grant is issued.
To use the scheme, you will need to complete HMRC form IHT423 and submit it to NatWest alongside the IHT400. For more on why IHT timing matters and the interest that can accrue on unpaid tax, see our guide on probate delays and IHT interest.
NatWest says that once it has all the necessary documents it takes up to 10 working days to close the accounts and release the money. That is the only timescale it publishes; it does not publish one for complex estates.
Use our estate administration checklist to keep track of what has been submitted to NatWest and other institutions, and to monitor expected timelines.
NatWest refers to a small estate process and to an indemnifying letter, but it does not publish the balance at which either becomes available — the only figure it names is the under-£50 indemnifying letter. Whether your case qualifies is something only the bereavement team can tell you, and NatWest publishes no timescale for that route.
Note that even when NatWest releases funds without a grant, you may still need one to deal with property or other assets. Our guide on when you don't need probate can help you assess the full picture.
For a comprehensive overview of how probate works in the UK, visit our complete UK probate guide for 2026. To understand whether you need a solicitor, compare the options in our DIY probate versus solicitor costs guide. For inheritance tax questions, read our IHT guide for 2026–27.
Before you assume you need probate
Do you actually need a grant — and what would it cost?
A NatWest balance is only part of the picture. Whether the estate needs probate at all depends on the whole picture — property, other accounts, and how everything was owned — not a single threshold. It is worth checking before you start filling in forms.
Guide reviewed July 2026. Bank thresholds change and can vary by account type — always confirm the current figure with the provider before relying on it.
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