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What is "Confirmation"?

You may have been told by a bank or building society that you need to obtain "Confirmation" before they can release the money and other property of someone who has died. Confirmation is a legal document from the Court. It gives the executor(s) authority to receive money and other property belonging to a deceased person from the holder (such as the bank), and to administer and distribute it according to law.

To obtain Confirmation, an executor must provide a list of all of all the deceased's property at the time of death. The list - called an inventory - might include money, houses, land and shares. The inventory must include:

• all items of property, even those that have already been paid over to the deceased's representative(s); and
• property located in England, Wales or Northern Ireland.

Confirmation is possible only if the inventory includes at least one item of money or other property in Scotland.