How to Notify Banks After Someone Dies

Notifying banks of a death is one of the first practical tasks for an executor or next of kin. It is not complicated, but it does need to be done carefully and in the right order. Banks will not release funds until they are satisfied you have the legal authority to receive them - and that authority may depend on whether probate is required. This guide walks through the process step by step.

Step 1: Locate all the accounts

Before you can notify banks, you need to know which banks and building societies held accounts for the deceased. Start with:

• Bank statements - paper statements in files or drawers, or email statements in the deceased's inbox
• Post - letters from banks, including marketing correspondence, can identify accounts
• HMRC records - if the deceased filed Self Assessment returns, the tax return will list interest received from savings accounts
• Employer payslips - will show the account into which salary was paid
• Online banking apps - if you have access to a phone or tablet (and the deceased's login), you may be able to identify accounts this way

Create a written log of every account you find: institution name, account type, approximate balance if visible, and account number. This becomes your working record throughout the administration.

Step 2: Contact each bank's bereavement team

Most major UK banks have a dedicated bereavement team. These are specialist staff who handle death notifications every day and are trained to guide you through the process sensitively. You can usually reach them by:

• Telephone - the fastest way to begin; the bereavement team can freeze the account immediately
• In person at a branch - some people prefer face-to-face; bring identification and the death certificate
• Online bereavement portal - several banks (including Barclays, Lloyds, and HSBC) now offer an online notification process

Whichever method you use, follow up any telephone conversation in writing - either by post or email - to create a record of the notification and the bank's response.

Step 3: What you will need to provide

Banks will ask for documents to verify the death and confirm your authority to act. You will typically need:

• Death certificate - an original or certified copy of the death certificate issued by the register office. This is the single most important document. When you register the death, order at least five to ten certified copies - you will need them across multiple institutions and it is much cheaper to order them upfront than to order additional copies later.
• Your proof of identity - a passport or driving licence for the person making the notification (you, as executor or next of kin)
• Your proof of address - a utility bill or bank statement less than three months old
• The will (if applicable) - some banks ask to see the will at this stage to confirm you are the named executor, particularly if the balance is above their threshold

You do not need the Grant of Probate at this stage - that comes later. The initial notification is simply to freeze the account and open a line of communication with the bank's bereavement team.

Step 4: What the bank will do next

Once notified, the bank will:

• Freeze the account - stopping all debit card transactions, direct debits, and standing orders
• Provide a date-of-death balance statement - you will need this for the estate accounts and for any inheritance tax assessment
• Tell you their probate threshold - and confirm whether they will need a sealed grant before releasing funds
• Explain what happens next - including what documents they will need to close the account and release funds to the estate

The Death Notification Service

The Death Notification Service (deathnotificationservice.co.uk) is a free, industry-run service that allows you to notify multiple participating banks and building societies simultaneously using a single online form. It saves significant time if the deceased held accounts at several institutions. Most major UK banks and building societies participate. The service notifies each institution of the death and triggers their internal bereavement process - though you may still need to follow up with each bank individually to provide documents and receive the date-of-death balance.

Note that the Death Notification Service covers financial institutions only. It does not notify government departments - for those, use the Tell Us Once service when you register the death.

Step 5: Obtaining a date-of-death balance

Request a formal date-of-death balance statement from each bank. Banks are accustomed to providing these during bereavement administration. The statement will show the exact balance as at the date of death, which you need to:

• Record in the estate accounts you are required to keep as executor
• Include on any inheritance tax return if the estate is above the IHT threshold
• Use to calculate each institution's total holding for probate threshold purposes

Step 6: Once probate is granted

If the bank's total holding exceeds their probate threshold, you will need to wait until the Grant of Probate (or Letters of Administration) has been issued by the Probate Registry before the bank will release funds. Once you have the grant:

1. Provide a sealed copy of the grant to the bank - most banks accept a photocopy of the sealed grant, but some may ask for an original. Sealed copies from the Probate Registry cost £16 each; order enough when you apply for probate.
2. Instruct the bank to close the account and transfer the balance to the estate bank account
3. The bank will process the instruction, which typically takes one to four weeks
4. Keep the bank's confirmation of closure and the final statement as part of your estate records

For guidance on whether you need the grant in the first place, see do I need probate? and bank probate thresholds explained.

Joint accounts

If the deceased held a bank account jointly with another person, the surviving account holder usually retains uninterrupted access throughout. The bank will remove the deceased's name from the account on sight of the death certificate and continue the account in the survivor's name alone. No probate is required for this process.

You still need to notify the bank of the death and provide the death certificate - the account does not update automatically. But the surviving account holder does not lose access to funds during the notification period, which is a meaningful practical difference from a sole-name account.

Note that the balance in a joint account at the date of death may still be relevant for inheritance tax purposes, depending on who contributed to the account and the circumstances of the joint ownership. This is separate from the bank notification process.

Documents to keep

Throughout the bank notification process, keep copies of:

• Every letter or email sent to and received from each bank
• Date-of-death balance statements for all accounts
• The sealed grant (or copies) that you provided to each institution
• Final closure confirmation and statement from each bank

These documents form the basis of your estate accounts, which you will need to prepare for the beneficiaries before distributing the estate.

For the full picture of how to close accounts and transfer funds once you have authority, see closing bank accounts after death. For a broader overview of every institution an executor needs to contact, see who do executors need to contact after a death.