Bank Accounts After Death Kit · England and Wales

Close their bank accounts without the back-and-forth.

Who to tell, what each bank asks for, and the letters to send.

The Bank Accounts After Death Kit — £2.99

13-page PDF · 22 banks · 4 letters · tracker

From the kit · one of the 22 bank checklists

Barclays

Tell them
Online form, phone (option 1), branch or post
They ask for
Death certificate, your ID, settlement form
Grant
Barclays says over £50,000 in sole accounts; it decides case by case

From barclays.co.uk, checked 23 Oct 2026.

What you do

  1. Find their bank in the checklist.
  2. Send letter 1 for the balances; letter 4 for the funeral bill.
  3. Track each account, then close it with letter 2.

Instant PDF download · One-off payment · 30-day money-back guarantee

See exactly what you’re getting

Real pages from the kit. Tap to see them in full.

What’s inside (13 pages)

  • Start hereTell Us Once does not cover banks; what happens to sole and joint accounts, why accounts are frozen, the funeral bill, and the Death Notification Service.
  • When the bank needs a grantHow the published limits work (each bank decides case by case), joint accounts, executor accounts, NS&I and Premium Bonds, and paying Inheritance Tax from the accounts (IHT423).
  • 22 bank and building society checklistsFor each one: how to tell it, the documents it asks for, the limit it publishes for releasing money without a grant (or 'not publicly confirmed, ask the institution'), whether it pays the funeral director, its official page, and tick boxes.
  • 4 letters with [placeholders]1 notification and date-of-death balances; 2 closure and transfer; 3 a chaser; 4 paying the funeral invoice from the account.
  • Account trackerEach account, date notified, reference, balance at death, documents sent and money received, with the same headings as the Starter Pack's estate accounts workbook, so the figures copy straight across.
  • SourcesEvery fact with its official URL, checked on 23 October 2026.

Who it’s for

  • Executors and administrators in England and Wales
  • Next of kin dealing with a parent's or partner's bank accounts
  • Anyone writing to more than one bank or building society

Not for

  • Estates in Scotland or Northern Ireland (different rules)
  • Business or trust accounts, or a disputed estate: get advice
  • Anyone who wants a solicitor to do it for them

Questions

Is this legal advice?

No. The kit is general guidance and an organiser for England and Wales. It explains each bank's published process and gives you letters and a tracker; it does not replace advice for a complicated or disputed estate.

Do I need probate to close a bank account?

Not always. GOV.UK says each organisation has its own rules, so contact each one to find out. Many banks publish a limit below which they may release money without a grant (for example, Barclays says over £50,000 in sole accounts needs one), but the bank decides case by case and can ask for a grant at any amount. Joint accounts usually pass to the surviving holder.

Which banks are covered?

Lloyds, Halifax, Bank of Scotland, NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, Barclays, HSBC, first direct, Santander, Nationwide, TSB, the Co-operative Bank, Monzo, Starling, Virgin Money, Metro Bank, Coventry, Yorkshire and Skipton building societies, and NS&I. The letters and tracker work for any bank.

What does it cost to deal with the banks?

Nothing. Banks' bereavement teams are free to contact, and so is the Death Notification Service. The kit saves you the searching and the writing.

What if it doesn't help?

Contact us within 30 days of purchase for a full refund, no questions asked.

Also in the Starter Pack

Everything, including both kits, for £2 more

The Probate Starter Pack (£4.99) includes this kit and the Empty Home & Property Kit, plus the 44-page executor toolkit: a 25-step checklist, worksheets, nine letters and an Excel estate accounts workbook. Tick the upgrade box above, or:

See what’s in the Starter Pack →

Bank Accounts Kit · £2.99

Instant PDF download · One-off payment · Official sources, checked 23 October 2026

General guidance for England and Wales, not legal advice. Settle is independent and isn’t connected to any bank, lender, council or HM Land Registry. 30-day money-back guarantee: contact us within 30 days of purchase for a full refund.