Scottish Widows Bereavement: Pensions, Life Cover and Investments
Checked against current GOV.UK probate and Inheritance Tax guidance for England & Wales (2026/27).
- Tell Scottish Widows on 0345 601 4179, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, or with its online form.1
- If you have already told Lloyds Bank, Halifax or Bank of Scotland, you don't need to tell Scottish Widows as well.1
- It replies within five working days, then asks for the original death certificate or a certified copy.1
- Its Funeral Pledge can advance up to £10,000 to a funeral director if accounts are delayed waiting for probate.1
Fill in Scottish Widows' form, call or write, and it gets back to you in five working days. You then send the death certificate and it starts the claim.1
Quick answer
Call Scottish Widows on 0345 601 4179 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) or use its online bereavement form. If you've already told Lloyds Bank, Halifax or Bank of Scotland, you don't need to tell Scottish Widows. It will reply within five working days and ask for the original death certificate, or a copy certified by a Lloyds Bank, Halifax or Bank of Scotland colleague or a solicitor. Post it to Scottish Widows, Bereavement Team, Swindon, SN80 1AA, or email mailbox.estates@scottishwidows.co.uk. Checked on scottishwidows.co.uk on 19 October 2026; details can change, so confirm with Scottish Widows before you rely on them. This is general guidance, not legal advice.
How to tell Scottish Widows
- Phone: 0345 601 4179, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm; closed at weekends and on bank holidays. Textphone users can dial 18001 first.1
- Online: the bereavement form linked from Scottish Widows' bereavement page.1
- Post: Scottish Widows, Bereavement Team, Swindon, SN80 1AA. It recommends guaranteed or recorded delivery.1
- Email: mailbox.estates@scottishwidows.co.uk.1
If you've already told Lloyds Bank, Halifax or Bank of Scotland, you don't need to tell Scottish Widows.1 Scottish Widows also takes part in the Death Notification Service.3
Numbers for an existing claim, by product
| Product | Number |
|---|---|
| Workplace pensions, life insurance, Retirement Account, Ready-Made Pension and annuities | 0345 601 4179 |
| Personal pensions | 0345 716 6764 |
| Older personal pensions from Lloyds TSB | 0345 300 4455 |
| Savings and investments (OEICs, ISAs, bonds) | 0345 300 2540 |
Source: Scottish Widows' bereavement page.1
Documents and what happens next
- Death certificate: the original, or a copy certified by a Lloyds Bank, Halifax or Bank of Scotland colleague, or a solicitor.1
- Beneficiary form: for pensions, Scottish Widows sends a form asking about a spouse or partner, children, other family, dependants and the legal representative. It may ask for a copy of the will, a decree absolute, or documents showing someone was dependent, dated within 6 months of the death.1
- Funeral Pledge: Scottish Widows can advance up to £10,000 to a funeral director if closing accounts is delayed while waiting for probate.1
- Inheritance Tax: it accepts an IHT423 form and can pay HMRC directly from the funds.1
Scottish Widows does not publish a limit for paying its main products without probate; ask when it replies.
Scottish Widows Share Dealing
Share dealing accounts (formerly iWeb) have their own team: 0345 070 7129, or +44 113 270 1154 from abroad, Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm; stockbrokingbereavement@lloydsbanking.com.2 Under £50,000 (£36,000 in Scotland) it uses a Small Estates and Indemnity Instruction Form; above that it needs probate and an Executor Authority Form. If the estate is worth more than £5,000, the small estates declaration must be countersigned by a solicitor.2
Common questions
What is the Scottish Widows bereavement number?
0345 601 4179, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Personal pensions use 0345 716 6764, and savings and investments 0345 300 2540, for updates on an existing claim.
Do I need to tell Scottish Widows if I've told Lloyds?
No. Scottish Widows says that if you've already told Lloyds Bank, Halifax or Bank of Scotland, you don't need to tell it.
Where do I send a death certificate to Scottish Widows?
Scottish Widows, Bereavement Team, Swindon, SN80 1AA, ideally by guaranteed or recorded delivery, or email mailbox.estates@scottishwidows.co.uk.
What is the Scottish Widows Funeral Pledge?
Scottish Widows can advance up to £10,000 to a funeral director if closing accounts is delayed while waiting for probate.
Every phone number, address, limit and document list on this page was read on scottishwidows.co.uk on 19 October 2026. Where Scottish Widows 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.
- Bereavement — Scottish Widows
- Share dealing bereavement — Scottish Widows
- Death Notification Service FAQs
- Dealing with the estate of someone who's died — GOV.UK
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