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Post Office Savings After a Death: Who to Call and What to Send

Written by Settle Editorial Team · Updated October 2026 · 4 min read

Checked against current GOV.UK probate and Inheritance Tax guidance for England & Wales (2026/27).

Key facts
  • Post Office savings, mortgages and personal loans are provided by Bank of Ireland UK, which handles the bereavement.1
  • Call 0800 169 7500 or use the online notification form on Bank of Ireland UK's website.12
  • Under £30,000 you send a certified death certificate, a certified extract of the will (or a letter naming the next of kin), ID and two forms. Over £30,000 you send the grant.1
  • The old Post Office card account (the purple card) has its own line: 0345 722 3344.1

Post Office savings accounts and ISAs are run by Bank of Ireland UK. Call the savings line or use the online form, and the documents depend on whether the balance is above or below £30,000.1

Quick answer

For Post Office savings and ISAs, call 0800 169 7500 or use Bank of Ireland UK's online bereavement notification form. Under £30,000, send a certified copy of the death certificate, a certified extract of the will naming the executor (or, with no will, a letter naming the next of kin), proof of your ID, the indemnity form and the payment authorisation form. Over £30,000, send a certified copy of the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration instead of the will extract and indemnity. For a Post Office card account, call 0345 722 3344. Checked on postoffice.co.uk and bankofirelanduk.com on 19 October 2026; details can change, so confirm with Post Office savings before you rely on them. This is general guidance, not legal advice.

Who handles Post Office savings after a death

The Post Office says its bereavement information covers Post Office Mortgages, Post Office Personal Loans and Post Office Savings products, which are provided by Bank of Ireland UK.1 The online notification form sits on Bank of Ireland UK's website.2

  • Savings phone line: 0800 169 7500. For ISAs the Post Office lists 9am to 7pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 1pm on Saturday; for other savings, 9am to 7pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 2pm on Saturday. Closed on Sundays.1
  • Online: Bank of Ireland UK's online bereavement notification form.2
  • Post Office card account (purple card): 0345 722 3344.1
  • Travel Money Card: 0344 335 0109, 24 hours a day.1

Have the person's name, address, date of birth and date of death ready when you call.1 Neither the Post Office nor Bank of Ireland UK was on the Death Notification Service's member list on 19 October 2026, so contact them directly.3

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Documents: under or over £30,000

BalanceWhat to send
Under £30,000A certified copy of the death certificate; a certified extract of the will naming the executor(s) or, if there is no will, a letter naming the next of kin; proof of ID; the "Indemnity on payment of monies from deceased customer's account" form; the Payment Authorisation form
Over £30,000A certified copy of the death certificate; proof of ID; a certified copy of the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration; the Payment Authorisation form

Source for both rows: the Post Office's bereavement page.1

Paying for the funeral from the account

The Post Office says the funeral director can be paid from the account with a certified death certificate, ID, the funeral director's invoice and the Payment Authorisation form. Other funeral costs need a separate indemnity form for funeral-related invoices.1 This means you do not have to wait for probate to settle the funeral bill from these savings.

Before you call

  • Find the savings account or ISA numbers from statements or the passbook.
  • Ask for the balance and interest to the date of death: you need it to value the estate.
  • Check the will extract is certified, not a plain photocopy.

Common questions

What number do I call about Post Office savings after a death?

0800 169 7500. Post Office savings are provided by Bank of Ireland UK, which also has an online bereavement notification form.

Do I need probate for Post Office savings?

Not under £30,000, according to the Post Office: send a certified death certificate, a certified will extract (or a letter naming the next of kin), ID, an indemnity form and a payment authorisation form. Over £30,000 it asks for a certified copy of the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration.

How do I close a Post Office card account after a death?

Call the Post Office card account bereavement line on 0345 722 3344.

Can the funeral be paid from Post Office savings?

Yes. The Post Office says the funeral director can be paid with a certified death certificate, ID, the funeral director's invoice and the Payment Authorisation form.

Every phone number, address, limit and document list on this page was read on postoffice.co.uk and bankofirelanduk.com on 19 October 2026. Where Post Office savings does not publish something, we say so rather than guess: ask its bereavement team.

Sources & references

The figures and rules in this guide are drawn from the official UK government pages below. Each link opens the relevant GOV.UK page. Always confirm current figures on GOV.UK before you act, as fees and thresholds can change.

  1. Help with bereavement — Post Office
  2. Online bereavement notification form — Bank of Ireland UK
  3. Who can I notify? Members of the Death Notification Service
  4. Applying for probate — GOV.UK
Verified against published GOV.UK guidance.

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