Closing a Principality Building Society Account After Death

Notify Principality Building Society 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

Principality Building Society is the largest building society in Wales and the sixth largest in the United Kingdom. Headquartered in Cardiff, it is a mutual organisation offering savings accounts, cash ISAs, and mortgages, with branches across Wales and border areas of England. If the person who has died held an account with Principality, you will need to notify them so that accounts can be frozen, a date-of-death balance obtained, and funds released to the estate.

How to notify Principality Building Society of a death

Principality can be contacted by telephone or in branch to start the bereavement process:

• By telephone: Call Principality's customer service or bereavement team. Their general contact number is 0330 333 4000. Confirm whether this is the correct number for bereavement enquiries at principality.co.uk before calling, as dedicated bereavement lines can differ from the main number.
• In branch: You can visit any Principality branch with the death certificate and your identification. Branch staff can take the notification and refer it to the appropriate team. Principality has a good branch network in Wales, making this a practical option for many members.
• Online: Check the Principality website for an online bereavement notification option.

Record the date of the notification, the name of anyone you speak to, and any case reference number. Request written confirmation that accounts have been frozen.

If the deceased held accounts at several institutions, the free Death Notification Service (deathnotificationservice.co.uk) lets you notify Principality and other participating organisations through a single online form. You will still need to follow up with Principality directly to provide physical documents.

Documents you will need

Principality will require documents at two stages: to confirm the death and freeze accounts, and later to authorise the release of funds. Have these ready:

• Original death certificate or a certified copy from the register office. Order at least eight copies when you register the death. These are cheaper to obtain at registration than to request later, and you will need one for each institution involved.
• Proof of your identity: a current passport or driving licence.
• Proof of your address: a utility bill or bank statement dated within the last three months.
• The original will (if one exists): Principality may ask to confirm your status as executor, particularly where the balance is near or above their threshold.
• Passbook or account details: If a passbook was issued, this can help locate the account quickly.
• Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration: required if the total balance across all Principality accounts exceeds their probate threshold.

The Grant of Probate is not needed to make the initial notification. It becomes relevant only when you are ready to close the account and release funds above the threshold.

Principality's probate threshold

Principality Building Society sets its own internal figure for how much it will release without a Grant of Probate. Below this, funds can typically be released on sight of the death certificate, your identification, and a small estates declaration. Above it, accounts remain frozen until the executor provides a sealed Grant of Probate.

Principality does not widely publish its threshold. Confirm the current figure with their bereavement team when you first make contact, as it can change. The threshold applies to the combined balance across all accounts held with Principality, not to each account individually.

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

Joint accounts

If the deceased held an account jointly with another person, the account ordinarily passes to the surviving holder by right of survivorship. Principality will update the account to the survivor's sole name on receipt of the death certificate. The surviving holder retains access to the funds throughout the notification process.

The notification still needs to be made formally. The surviving account holder should contact Principality's bereavement team with the death certificate and their own identification.

ISAs held with Principality

A cash ISA held in the deceased's sole name forms part of the estate. If the ISA balance, together with any other Principality accounts, takes the total above the probate threshold, the ISA will remain frozen until the Grant of Probate is produced.

A surviving spouse or civil partner may be entitled to claim an Additional Permitted Subscription (APS), allowing them to invest an extra amount into their own ISA equal to the value of the deceased's ISA at the date of death, without counting against their annual ISA allowance. Raise this with Principality's bereavement team early in the process, as there is a time limit for making the claim.

How long does it take

The timescale depends on whether the combined balance is above or below Principality's probate threshold:

• Below the threshold: Once all documents have been received, Principality typically processes the account closure within a few weeks.
• Above the threshold: Accounts remain frozen until the Grant of Probate is issued. Applying for probate can take several months. Once Principality receives the sealed grant, account closure should follow in a similar timeframe to the below-threshold route.

If you have not received an update within four weeks of sending documents, contact Principality's bereavement team with your case reference number to follow up.

Principality Building Society bereavement contact details

Contact the bereavement team rather than general customer services where possible.

• Telephone: 0330 333 4000 (confirm the correct bereavement contact at principality.co.uk before calling, as it may have changed)
• Online: principality.co.uk/bereavement
• Post: Principality House, The Friary, Cardiff CF10 3FA
• In branch: Visit any Principality Building Society branch with the death certificate and your identification.

Contact details and processes can change. Always check the Principality website for current information before getting in touch.

For a full walkthrough of closing accounts across multiple institutions, see closing bank accounts after death. For the notification process, see notifying banks after death. For a complete list of documents, see documents to close a bank account 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 Principality Building Society 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