Lloyds Bank Bereavement Service: How to Notify the Bank of a Death

Notify Lloyds as soon as you can, send a certified copy of the death certificate, and let the bereavement team freeze the accounts and give you a date-of-death balance.¹ Whether you need a Grant of Probate before the money is released depends on how much was held — and that threshold is set by the bank, not by law.²

If the person who has died held accounts with Lloyds Bank, you will need to notify the bank as soon as practicable so accounts can be frozen, a date-of-death balance obtained, and funds eventually transferred to the estate. Lloyds has a dedicated bereavement team and a straightforward process for handling these cases. Whether you need a Grant of Probate before funds are released depends on the total balance held across all Lloyds accounts.

How to notify Lloyds Bank of a death

Lloyds offers several ways to start the bereavement process:

• By telephone: Call the Lloyds bereavement line. The team can freeze the accounts immediately and explain what documents are needed.
• Online: Lloyds provides an online bereavement notification service. You can begin the process without calling, then follow up with documents by post or in branch.
• In branch: You can walk into any Lloyds branch with the death certificate and your identification. Branch staff will take the notification and pass it to the bereavement team.

Always follow up any telephone or in-person contact with written confirmation so you have a record of the notification date and what was discussed. Ask for a written acknowledgement from Lloyds confirming they have received the notification and frozen the accounts.

If the deceased held accounts at several banks, consider using the Death Notification Service (deathnotificationservice.co.uk). This free, industry-run service lets you notify Lloyds and other participating institutions through a single online form, which saves significant time and paperwork.

Documents you will need

Lloyds will ask for documents at two points: first to freeze the account, and later to release funds. Have the following ready:

• Original death certificate (or a certified copy issued by the register office). When you register the death, order at least five to ten certified copies. They cost around £12.50 each from the register office and are far cheaper to order upfront than to request individually later.
• Proof of your identity: a passport or driving licence in your name.
• Proof of your address: a utility bill or bank statement dated within the last three months.
• The original will (if one exists). Lloyds may ask to see it to confirm you are the named executor, particularly where balances are close to or above their probate threshold.
• Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration: required if the total balance held with Lloyds exceeds their threshold.

You do not need the Grant of Probate to make the initial notification. The first stage is simply about freezing the accounts and establishing the bereavement case. The grant only becomes relevant later, when you are ready to close the accounts and release funds.

Lloyds' probate threshold

Lloyds sets its own internal threshold for how much it will release without a Grant of Probate. At the time of writing, the approximate threshold is £50,000.

This threshold applies to the total combined balance across all accounts held with Lloyds: current accounts, savings, ISAs, and any other products. It is not a per-account figure. If the total is below the threshold, Lloyds will typically release funds on production of the death certificate, your identification, and a completed small estates declaration. If the total exceeds the threshold, the accounts stay frozen until you provide the sealed Grant of Probate.

For a comparison of approximate thresholds across major UK banks, see our guide to bank probate thresholds.

What happens to direct debits and standing orders

Once Lloyds freezes the account, all direct debits and standing orders on that account are cancelled automatically. You do not need to contact each company individually to cancel the payments. That happens as a consequence of the freeze.

What you do need to consider:

• Any bills that were paid from this account will now go unpaid. Contact each supplier to let them know the account holder has died and either close the account or make alternative payment arrangements.
• Property-related costs are particularly important: buildings insurance, council tax, and mortgage or rent payments must continue to be paid from somewhere, even while the estate is being administered. Check what was going out of the account and plan accordingly.
• Any recurring subscriptions (streaming services, magazines, gym memberships) should be cancelled with the provider.

Request a statement from Lloyds showing all direct debits and standing orders active as at the date of death. This becomes part of your estate records.

Joint accounts

Where the deceased held an account jointly with another person, the account ordinarily passes to the surviving account holder automatically by right of survivorship. Lloyds will remove the deceased's name from the account on sight of the death certificate. The surviving holder does not lose access to the account or its funds at any point during the notification process.

You must still notify Lloyds of the death. The account does not update automatically. The surviving account holder should contact the bereavement team and provide the death certificate along with their own identification.

The balance held in a joint account at the date of death is still part of the estate for inheritance tax purposes, depending on how the account was used and who contributed to it. This is a separate question from the bank notification process and should be addressed when preparing the estate accounts.

ISAs held with Lloyds

A Lloyds ISA in the deceased's sole name forms part of the estate. If the ISA balance, together with any other Lloyds accounts, takes the total above the bank's probate threshold, the ISA will be frozen until you produce the Grant of Probate.

A surviving spouse or civil partner is entitled to claim an Additional Permitted Subscription (APS). This allows the survivor to contribute an extra amount into their own ISA, equal to the value of the deceased's ISA at the date of death, without counting it towards their annual ISA allowance. The APS preserves the tax-free benefit of the ISA even after the original has been closed and the funds distributed.

The APS must be claimed within a time limit set by HMRC. The surviving spouse or civil partner should raise this with Lloyds' bereavement team as part of the overall bereavement process, not leave it until after the account is closed.

How long does it take

The timeline depends on whether the total balance is above or below Lloyds' probate threshold:

• Below the threshold: Once Lloyds has received the necessary documents, processing typically takes a few weeks.
• Above the threshold: The accounts remain frozen until the Grant of Probate is issued. Obtaining the grant can take several weeks to several months. Once Lloyds receives the sealed grant, they typically process the account closure and fund release within a few weeks.

The most common causes of delay are missing documents, illegible signatures, or the bereavement team needing additional verification. If you have not received a response within three to four weeks of sending documents, call the bereavement team to follow up with your case reference number.

Lloyds bereavement team contact details

Use the bereavement team rather than the general customer service number. The bereavement team has the specific authority and training to progress the case.

• Telephone: 0800 096 8067
• Online: lloydsbank.com/bereavement

Contact details can change. Check the Lloyds website for current numbers and portal links before getting in touch.

For a full breakdown of how thresholds work across major UK banks, see our guide to bank probate thresholds. For the step-by-step process of closing all accounts and transferring funds, see closing bank accounts after death.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Assuming a published threshold is current. Banks change these limits quietly. Ask the bereavement team what applies to this estate before deciding whether to apply for probate.
• Letting property bills lapse. When the account freezes, buildings insurance or council tax paid by direct debit stops too. Move essential payments so cover does not drop.
• Ordering too few death certificates. Each institution wants its own certified copy. Order several when you register the death — they are far cheaper up front than requested later.
• Waiting for probate before notifying. You notify first; probate (if needed at all) comes later. Freezing the account early protects the estate.¹

Frequently asked questions

Do I need probate to close a Lloyds account?

Only if the balance is above the bank's own release limit. Below it, most banks pay out on the death certificate, your ID and a short estate declaration; above it they hold the money until you produce a sealed Grant of Probate.²

How long does it take to release the money?

For balances under the threshold, usually a few weeks once the paperwork is in. Above the threshold the account stays frozen until probate is granted, which itself is usually within 12 weeks of a complete application, then a short release window after.

What happens to a joint account?

It passes automatically to the surviving account holder by right of survivorship, so it is not frozen and does not need probate. You still notify the bank so the deceased's name is removed.³

Can I use the Death Notification Service instead of calling?

Yes. The free Death Notification Service lets you tell several banks and building societies at once through one online form, which saves repeating yourself if the person banked in more than one place.

What documents will they ask for?

A certified copy of the death certificate, your photo ID and proof of address, the will if there is one, and — for larger balances — the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration once you have it.²