Understanding a grant
Do all wills go to probate?
Written and reviewed by our experienced team. Last verified against gov.uk on 26 July 2026. ProbateCheck is an independent service, not a law firm.
No. Not every will goes to probate. Where an estate is small, or assets were jointly owned, or accounts sat below the banks' thresholds, probate is often not needed and no grant is issued. In that case a will can exist but never becomes public, so it will not appear in a probate search.
When probate is not needed
- Jointly owned property, which usually passes automatically to the surviving owner.
- Bank and savings accounts below the individual bank's probate threshold.
- Small estates with no property and modest assets.
Why this matters for searching
If probate was never needed, there is no grant and no public record, even though a valid will exists. An empty probate search is therefore not proof that there is no will. See why a search finds nothing.
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Start with a free checkFrequently asked questions
Does every will need probate?+
No. Where assets were jointly owned or below bank thresholds, probate is often not required and no grant is issued. The will still exists but does not become a public record.
If there is no probate record, is there no will?+
Not necessarily. Probate may simply not have been needed, so no public record was created. A will can exist and remain private.