Letter to a bank after a death: free template

Written by Settle Editorial Team · Last reviewed 22 Oct 2026

Checked against GOV.UK guidance for England & Wales. The letter wording is the same as in the Probate Starter Pack.

Quick answer: Send this letter to the bereavement team of each bank or building society the person used, as soon as you have the death certificate. It tells them about the death, asks for every account they hold with the balance and interest at the date of death, and asks what they need to close the account or release the money, including whether they need a grant of probate. You don't need the grant to send it.

When to send it, and who to

Who it goes to. The bank's bereavement team. Each bank publishes the address or online form on its bereavement page; our bank guides list the main ones.
When. Once you have the death certificate. You can send it before applying for probate, and it is a good written follow-up if you have already phoned.
Who sends it. The executor named in the will, the administrator if there is no will, or the person dealing with the estate until one is appointed.
Several banks at once. The free Death Notification Service tells several member firms through one online form. Members include Barclays, HSBC, First Direct, Lloyds, Halifax, Bank of Scotland, NatWest, RBS, Santander, Nationwide, Leeds Building Society, Chase and Scottish Widows. TSB, Virgin Money, Co-op Bank, Monzo, Starling, Coventry, Skipton, Yorkshire and NS&I are not members, so write to them directly.

The letter (free to copy)

Copy it into an email or a document, replace every [bracket] with your own details, and delete what doesn't apply.

Template 1 of 9 · Bank or building society: notification and balance request

[Your name]
[Your address]
[Date]

Bereavement team
[Bank or building society name]
[Bank address]

Subject: Estate of [full name], deceased: [account / reference]

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to notify you that [name] of [address] died on [date]. I am [executor / administrator / person dealing with the estate]. Please confirm all accounts you hold for the deceased, the balance and any accrued interest as at the date of death, your bereavement reference, and what you require to close or release the account. Please also confirm whether a grant is required. I enclose a copy of [the death certificate / grant of probate]. Please send future correspondence to [address / email].

Yours faithfully, [name]

Recommended for this guide · England and Wales

Bank Accounts After Death Kit · £2.99

This is letter 1. The kit adds the closure, chaser and funeral-invoice letters, what each of 22 banks asks for, and an account tracker.

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Official sources, checked 23 Oct 2026

See inside the Bank Accounts Kit →

Or get the complete Starter Pack for £2 more: includes this kit, the Property Kit and the full probate toolkit · £4.99. See the Starter Pack

What to enclose

A copy of the death certificate. Banks usually ask for an original or certified copy rather than a photocopy; ask for any original to be sent back, and note what you sent.
The grant of probate or letters of administration, if you already have it: send an official copy, not the original. Extra official copies cost £2 each if you order them with your probate application, or £16 each later.
Proof of your own identity and address, if the bank's bereavement page asks for it.
The account number, sort code or a recent statement, if you have one. If you don't, the name, address and date of birth of the person who died help the bank find every account.

Don't send original documents unless the organisation specifically asks for them. Keep a copy of the version you actually sent, the date, the reference number and the reply.

Common mistakes

Asking only about the account you know about. The letter asks for all accounts, so savings, ISAs, loans and credit cards held at the same bank come back in one reply.
Forgetting the interest. The date-of-death balance plus any accrued interest is the figure you need for the estate value and the estate accounts.
Sending the only original you have. Send certified or official copies unless the bank says it must see the original.
Using the person's bank card or online banking after the death, even for a bill you know is owed. Their authority to use the account ended when they died.
Not keeping a copy. Keep the final version you sent, the attachments, the date sent, the reference number and the reply.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need probate before writing to the bank?

No. You can tell a bank about a death and ask for the date-of-death balance before you have a grant. The bank's reply tells you whether it needs a grant before it releases the money, which depends on how much it holds and its own limit.

Can I tell several banks at once?

Yes, for member firms, through the free Death Notification Service. Members include Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds, Halifax, NatWest, Santander and Nationwide. TSB, Virgin Money, Co-op Bank, Monzo, Starling and NS&I are not members, so write to them directly.

Should I send the original death certificate?

Only if the bank says it needs the original. Banks usually accept a certified copy from the register office. Note what you sent and ask for any original to be returned.

What is a date-of-death balance?

It is the amount in the account on the day the person died, plus any interest earned up to that day. You need it for the estate value on the probate application, for any Inheritance Tax return and for the estate accounts.

Can I use the same letter for a building society or a joint account?

Use it for any bank or building society account in the person's sole name. A joint account usually passes to the surviving holder, who tells the bank with the death certificate; the letter still helps if the person also had accounts in their own name.

Related guides

More free letter templates

Sources

General information for England and Wales, not legal advice. If the estate is complex, disputed or may not be able to pay its debts, take advice from a solicitor.