Closing a Bank Account After Death: What You Need to Know

Closing a bank account after someone dies is one of the first practical tasks for an executor or next of kin. The bank will freeze the account as soon as you notify them of the death, provide a date-of-death balance statement, and then release the funds once you have authority to request them. Whether that authority requires a Grant of Probate depends on how much money is in the account.

The process for closing a deceased person's bank account follows the same steps at every major UK bank. This guide explains each step, the documents you will need, and what to do when probate is required.

Step 1: Find out which banks held accounts

Before you can notify anyone, you need a list of institutions. Check for:

• Bank statements - paper files, or email statements in the deceased's inbox if you have access
• Post - letters and bank correspondence, including marketing, identify accounts
• Payslips or pension letters - these show the account the money went into
• HMRC Self Assessment returns - if the deceased filed tax returns, the return lists interest received, which identifies savings accounts
• Phone banking apps - if you have access to the deceased's phone, banking apps may be visible on the home screen

Write down every institution, the account type, an approximate balance if you can see it, and the account number. This becomes your working register throughout the administration.

What happens when you notify the bank — does the account freeze immediately?

Yes. The moment you notify a bank that an account holder has died, they freeze the account. No further card payments, direct debits or standing orders leave the account from that point. The freeze stays in place until you provide the correct authority to release the funds — either a completed bereavement form (for balances below the bank's threshold) or the sealed Grant of Probate. See our full guide to are bank accounts frozen when someone dies for what exactly happens on notification, and how long bank accounts stay frozen after death for a realistic timeline with and without probate.

Step 2: Contact the bereavement team at each bank

Most major UK banks have a dedicated bereavement team - specialist staff who handle death notifications every day. Call them, or notify them in writing. Some banks now accept online notifications.

Always follow up any phone call with a letter or email. You need a paper trail. The bank will confirm receipt and give you a reference number for the bereavement case.

When you notify the bank, they will:

• Freeze the account - no further debit card transactions, direct debits, or standing orders
• Give you a date-of-death balance statement
• Tell you their probate threshold, and whether they need the Grant of Probate before releasing funds
• Explain what documents they require at each stage

Does the bank freeze the account when someone dies?

Yes. When you notify a bank that an account holder has died, the bank freezes the account immediately. That means no further debit card transactions, direct debits, or standing orders will be processed from that point. The bank will not release any funds until the correct authority is provided - either a completed bereavement form for small balances, or the Grant of Probate for larger ones.

You do not need to take any special steps to freeze a bank account when someone dies. Notifying the bank is all it takes. The freeze happens automatically as part of their standard bereavement process.

Documents needed to close a bank account after death

What documents are required to close a bank account depends on the stage of the process and the account balance. At the notification stage, you typically need:

• Original death certificate - issued by the register office when you registered the death. This is the most important document. Order at least ten certified copies when you register. Each additional copy costs £11 and it is much cheaper to order them upfront.
• Your proof of identity - passport or driving licence
• Your proof of address - utility bill or bank statement less than three months old

If the account balance exceeds the bank's threshold, you will also need a sealed copy of the Grant of Probate (or Letters of Administration if there is no will). You do not need the grant at the notification stage - that comes later, once you have applied for and received it. For a full breakdown of what documents are needed and when, see our guide to documents required to close a bank account after death.

Step 4: Do you need probate to release the funds?

Banks set their own thresholds. Below the threshold, they release funds on sight of the death certificate and a completed bereavement form. Above it, they require the sealed Grant of Probate (if there is a will) or Letters of Administration (if there is no will).

Thresholds vary by bank and can change without notice. Always confirm the current threshold directly with the bank. The figures below are approximate guides as of mid-2026:

Bank	Approximate threshold
Barclays	Up to £50,000
HSBC	Up to £50,000
Lloyds / Halifax	Up to £50,000
NatWest / RBS	Up to £25,000
Santander	Up to £50,000
Nationwide	Up to £30,000
NS&I (Premium Bonds, savings)	Up to £5,000

For a full breakdown of each bank's process and requirements, see our bank probate thresholds guide.

Step 5: Applying for probate if it is needed

If the balance exceeds the bank's threshold, you cannot close the account until you have the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration. Apply online at the GOV.UK probate service, or by post using form PA1P (with a will) or PA1A (without a will). The court fee is £300 for estates above £5,000.

Processing takes 8 to 16 weeks in most cases, though it can run longer. Once the grant is issued, order sealed copies at £16 each. You need one per institution. Order at least six to eight - they can be sent to different places simultaneously, which speeds things up considerably.

Step 6: Closing the account and releasing the funds

Once you have the grant, write to each bank to instruct them to close the account. Send a sealed copy of the grant and a completed closing instruction or bereavement form. The bank will transfer the balance to the estate bank account, which you as executor will have opened to collect the estate assets.

Processing typically takes one to four weeks after the bank receives the sealed grant. Keep the bank's closure confirmation and final balance statement - these go into the estate accounts you are required to prepare for the beneficiaries.

Joint accounts

Joint accounts work differently. The surviving account holder does not lose access when the other account holder dies. The account passes automatically by right of survivorship, no probate required. You notify the bank, provide the death certificate, and the bank removes the deceased's name. The balance stays with the survivor.

But the balance at the date of death is still included in the deceased's estate for inheritance tax purposes. Most joint accounts between spouses or civil partners will not attract tax because of the spousal exemption. But joint accounts held with adult children or siblings - where the deceased contributed the funds - include the deceased's share in the estate valuation.

See our guide to joint bank accounts after death for the full picture on survivorship, probate and the IHT treatment.

ISAs after death

An ISA in the deceased's sole name is part of the estate and goes through the same process as any other bank account. The ISA wrapper ends when the account holder dies. But a surviving spouse or civil partner can make use of an Additional Permitted Subscription (APS), which lets them pay an amount equal to the deceased's ISA value into their own ISA, preserving the tax benefit. See our guide to ISAs after death for how APS works in practice.

NS&I and Premium Bonds

NS&I has a lower threshold than most banks. They release up to £5,000 without probate; for larger sums the grant is required. Premium Bonds stay eligible for prize draws for up to 12 months after death. Any prizes won in that period are paid to the estate. After 12 months, NS&I automatically redeems the bonds. You can request early encashment at any time, but once you do, the bonds are no longer entered in draws.

Bereavement contact details for major UK banks

Call the bereavement team directly rather than a branch. Numbers change - check the bank's website if these do not connect:

• Barclays: 0800 279 3818
• HSBC: 0800 085 1285
• Lloyds: 0800 096 8995
• Halifax: 0800 587 5870
• NatWest: 0800 161 5903
• Santander: 0800 917 2112
• Nationwide: 0800 464 3298
• NS&I: 08085 007 007

Frequently asked questions

Can I access the account to pay the funeral?

Most banks will release funds to pay funeral costs directly to the funeral director, even before probate. This is not automatic. You need to ask the bereavement team. Bring the invoice from the funeral director and the death certificate.

What happens to direct debits?

The bank cancels all direct debits and standing orders when they freeze the account. Any payments that went out after the date of death but before you notified the bank may be recoverable - ask the bereavement team.

The account is overdrawn. Who pays?

The overdraft is a debt of the estate. It must be paid before the remaining funds are distributed to beneficiaries. Debts come out of the estate first, in a specific order of priority - see our guide to executor duties for how debts are handled.

What if there is no will?

The bank's process is the same. But instead of applying for a Grant of Probate, you apply for Letters of Administration. The administrator is usually the closest living relative. Our guide to probate without a will explains who can apply and how.

How do you close a bank account when someone has died?

Notify the bank's bereavement team with the death certificate and your ID. The bank will freeze the account and open a bereavement case. For balances below the bank's threshold, they will release the funds directly. For larger balances, you will need the Grant of Probate first. The steps above cover the full process from start to finish.

How do I close a deceased parent's bank account?

The process for closing a deceased parent's bank account is the same as for any other account holder. Contact the bereavement team with the death certificate and your proof of identity. If you are named as executor in the will, you act in that capacity. If there is no will, you may need to apply for Letters of Administration before the bank will release the funds to you.

Bank accounts after death — checklist

Use this as a working checklist when dealing with the deceased's bank accounts:

• List all accounts. Check statements, post, phone apps and HMRC returns. Record each institution, account type, approximate balance and account number.
• Check each account — sole or joint? Joint accounts pass by survivorship; sole accounts go through the bereavement process below.
• Notify each bank's bereavement team. Or use the Death Notification Service to notify multiple banks at once. Bring original death certificate and your ID.
• Ask what documents they need and confirm the bank's current probate threshold.
• Check whether probate is required. If the balance is above the threshold, you need the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration before the bank will release funds.
• Record the date-of-death balance for each account. Keep the bank's balance statement — you need it for the estate valuation and IHT forms.
• Ask about funeral costs if you need to pay the funeral director before probate is granted. Many banks accommodate this on request.
• Get written confirmation when each account is closed. Keep the final balance statement for the estate accounts you must prepare for beneficiaries.

For the complete list of documents to have ready, see our guide to documents required to close a bank account after death.