My Mother recently passed away after suffering from dementia for the passed 10 years and I have had to deal with probate as she did not leave a will.
The main topic of my post are the best banks and building societies to have savings in when being in this situation. I think it would be helpful to others if the society had some input as to other people in this situation and maybe even to go as far as to list a league table.
Well... Here is my experience. I had to deal with two banks, the Halifax and Barclays.
The Halifax was straightforward, their limit for accessing funds without probate is £50,000, so I had to prove I was with a recent bill in my name and some identity (passport/driving licence), birth certificate showing my relationship and a death certificate.
Barclays have a limit for accessing funds without probate of £30,000. My mothers account was just in excess of this. So.... I thought I would pay for the funeral and reduce the amount to bellow the Barclays £30,000 limit only for Barclays to inform me that the limit was at the time of death.
I am quite capable of completing the probate but thought I would get a figure from a Solicitor as completing it myself was just adding to a very stressful time. The minimum figure I was quoted was £700. I am now in the process of completing myself and paying the£217 fee.
The message I have here is that it is quite important who you bank with and I hope this will help others who find themselves in my situation. I was able to access up to £50,000 from the Halifax without any problems but cannot access £27,000 from Barclays without paying a minimum £217, filling out two forms, waiting for probate and swearing in front of a notary when I receive the probate back and then presenting the probate document to Barclays
If anybody else has bank/ building society probate rates and experiences please share them so others can make decisions on where other dementia suffered should save their money and can the Society maybe start a league table.
The main topic of my post are the best banks and building societies to have savings in when being in this situation. I think it would be helpful to others if the society had some input as to other people in this situation and maybe even to go as far as to list a league table.
Well... Here is my experience. I had to deal with two banks, the Halifax and Barclays.
The Halifax was straightforward, their limit for accessing funds without probate is £50,000, so I had to prove I was with a recent bill in my name and some identity (passport/driving licence), birth certificate showing my relationship and a death certificate.
Barclays have a limit for accessing funds without probate of £30,000. My mothers account was just in excess of this. So.... I thought I would pay for the funeral and reduce the amount to bellow the Barclays £30,000 limit only for Barclays to inform me that the limit was at the time of death.
I am quite capable of completing the probate but thought I would get a figure from a Solicitor as completing it myself was just adding to a very stressful time. The minimum figure I was quoted was £700. I am now in the process of completing myself and paying the£217 fee.
The message I have here is that it is quite important who you bank with and I hope this will help others who find themselves in my situation. I was able to access up to £50,000 from the Halifax without any problems but cannot access £27,000 from Barclays without paying a minimum £217, filling out two forms, waiting for probate and swearing in front of a notary when I receive the probate back and then presenting the probate document to Barclays
If anybody else has bank/ building society probate rates and experiences please share them so others can make decisions on where other dementia suffered should save their money and can the Society maybe start a league table.
