Applying for the legal right to deal with someone’s property, money and possessions (their ‘estate’) when they die is called ‘applying for probate’.
- If the person left a will, you’ll get a ‘grant of probate’
- If the person did not leave a will, you’ll get ‘letters of administration’
When Probate is Not Needed
You may not need probate if the person who died:
- had jointly owned land, property, shares or money - these will automatically pass to the surviving owners
- only had savings or premium bonds
Contact each asset holder (for example a bank or mortgage company) to find out if you will need probate to get access to their assets. Every organisation has its own rules.
Further information on Applying for Probate (external link) can be found on GOV.UK's website