Closing a NatWest Account After Death

If the person who has died held accounts with NatWest, you will need to notify the bank promptly so the accounts can be frozen, a date-of-death balance confirmed, and funds released to the estate when you have the necessary authority. NatWest has a bereavement team that handles these cases every day. One important point to note: NatWest's approximate probate threshold is lower than several other major banks, which means probate may be required even for relatively modest account balances.

How to notify NatWest of a death

NatWest offers several ways to begin the bereavement process:

• By telephone: Call the NatWest bereavement line. The team can freeze the accounts immediately and explain what documentation you need to send.
• Online: NatWest has an online bereavement notification service. This allows you to start the process without calling, and is useful if you prefer to manage things in writing.
• In branch: You can visit a NatWest branch with the death certificate and your own identification. Branch staff can process the notification and refer the case to the bereavement team.

Whichever route you use, follow up any telephone or in-person contact in writing so you have a record of the notification date and case reference. Ask NatWest for a written acknowledgement confirming they have received the notification and frozen the accounts.

If the deceased held accounts at multiple banks, the Death Notification Service (deathnotificationservice.co.uk) allows you to notify NatWest and other participating institutions through a single online form, saving time across the process.

Documents you will need

NatWest will require documentation at two stages: first to confirm the death and freeze accounts, and later to release funds. Prepare the following:

• Original death certificate (or a certified copy from the register office). This is the single most important document. When you register the death, order at least five to ten certified copies. They cost around £12.50 each and you will need them at every institution. It is significantly cheaper to order them upfront.
• Proof of your identity: a passport or driving licence.
• Proof of your address: a utility bill or bank statement less than three months old.
• The original will (if one exists). NatWest may ask to see it to confirm you are the named executor, particularly if the balance is close to their probate threshold.
• Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration: required if the combined balance across all NatWest accounts exceeds their threshold. See the next section.

The Grant of Probate is not needed at the initial notification stage. The death certificate and your identification are sufficient to freeze the accounts and open the bereavement case. The grant only becomes necessary later, when you are ready to close the account and move funds.

NatWest's probate threshold

NatWest sets its own internal threshold for releasing funds without a Grant of Probate. Based on publicly available information at the time of writing, NatWest's approximate threshold is £25,000.

This is notably lower than several other major banks and means that even a moderately sized account may require probate before funds can be released. The threshold applies to the total balance across all NatWest accounts combined: current accounts, savings, ISAs, and any other products. It is not assessed per account.

If the combined total is below £25,000, NatWest will typically release funds on production of the death certificate, identification, and a small estates declaration form. If the combined total exceeds the threshold, the accounts remain frozen until a sealed Grant of Probate is provided.

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

What happens to direct debits and standing orders

When NatWest freezes the account, all direct debits and standing orders on that account are cancelled automatically as part of the freeze. You do not need to cancel each payment individually with NatWest.

What you need to manage as a result:

• Any bills that were paid from this account will stop being paid. Work through each direct debit and standing order and contact the relevant supplier to let them know the account holder has died. For bills continuing to relate to the estate (such as property expenses), arrange an alternative payment method.
• Property costs are particularly time-sensitive: buildings insurance, council tax, and mortgage payments must continue even while the estate is being administered. Lapsed buildings insurance on an estate property can cause complications if a claim arises before the property is sold or transferred.
• Any subscription services (streaming, magazines, gym memberships) should be cancelled with the providers directly.

Ask NatWest for a statement showing all direct debits and standing orders active as at the date of death. This forms part of your estate administration records.

Joint accounts

A joint account held with NatWest typically passes to the surviving account holder automatically by right of survivorship. NatWest will remove the deceased's name from the account on sight of the death certificate, and the surviving holder continues to have full access to the account and its funds throughout the notification process. No probate is required for the surviving account holder to continue using the account.

You must still notify NatWest of the death even for joint accounts. The account does not update automatically. The surviving account holder should contact the bereavement team with the death certificate and their own identification as soon as possible after the death.

The balance in a joint account at the date of death may be relevant for inheritance tax purposes, depending on how the account was structured and funded. This is separate from the bank notification process and should be considered when preparing the estate accounts.

ISAs held with NatWest

A NatWest ISA held in the deceased's sole name is part of the estate and subject to the same probate threshold as any other account. If the ISA balance, combined with any other NatWest accounts, takes the total above approximately £25,000, the ISA will be frozen until the Grant of Probate is provided.

A surviving spouse or civil partner is entitled to claim an Additional Permitted Subscription (APS). This allows the survivor to make an additional contribution into their own ISA, equal to the value of the deceased's ISA at the date of death, without it counting against their annual ISA allowance. The APS preserves the tax-free status of the ISA even after the original account has been wound up.

The APS must be applied for within a time limit. The surviving spouse or civil partner should raise this with NatWest's bereavement team at the time of the initial notification, not leave it until after the account has been closed.

How long does it take

The timeline depends on whether the combined NatWest balance is above or below their probate threshold:

• Below the threshold: Once NatWest has received the death certificate and required documents, the account closure and fund release typically takes a few weeks.
• Above the threshold: The accounts stay frozen until the Grant of Probate is issued. Applying for probate and receiving the grant can take several weeks to several months. Once NatWest receives the sealed grant, they typically process the account closure and release of funds within a similar few-week window.

Delays are most commonly caused by missing or incomplete documentation, unclear signatures, or queries raised by the bereavement team. If you have submitted your documents and not received a response within four weeks, contact the bereavement team with your case reference number to follow up.

NatWest bereavement team contact details

Use the dedicated bereavement line rather than general NatWest customer service. The bereavement team has the specific authority and training to handle estate administration cases.

• Telephone: 0800 161 5154
• Online: natwest.com/bereavement

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

For a full comparison of how major banks handle bereavement and their approximate probate thresholds, see our guide to bank probate thresholds. For the complete process of closing all accounts and transferring funds once you have authority, see closing bank accounts after death.