First letter to a beneficiary from an executor: free template

Quick answer: Send this letter to each beneficiary once you know what they are entitled to under the will, or under the intestacy rules if there is no will. It tells them what they are entitled to, explains that the grant, the debts, any tax and the costs come first, promises no date, and asks for their contact details. It doesn't ask for bank details: ask for those nearer the time and check them before you pay.

When to send it, and who to

• When. Early, once you have read the will or worked out who inherits under the intestacy rules. Later, keep them informed with our progress update and final distribution letters.
• Who it goes to. Everyone with a gift or a share of the residue. A residuary beneficiary will later see the estate accounts; someone with a fixed gift is usually told about their own gift.
• What comes before payment. GOV.UK says the debts and taxes must be paid, or you must be sure there's enough to pay them, before you distribute, and to wait 2 months after a Gazette notice. Claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 must normally be made within six months of the first grant.
• No rush in law. An executor is not bound to distribute the estate before one year from the death (Administration of Estates Act 1925, s.44).

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.

[Your name]
[Your address]
[Date]

Subject: Estate of [full name of the person who died]

Dear [name],

I am writing as the [executor named in the will / administrator] of the estate of [full name], who died on [date of death]. [Under the will / Under the intestacy rules] you are entitled to [a gift of (amount or item) / a share of the residue of the estate].

Before anything can be paid, I need to [apply for the grant of probate / apply for letters of administration], collect the assets, and pay the debts, any tax and the costs of the estate. I can't give a payment date yet, but I will keep you updated as things progress.

So that I can keep in touch, please confirm your full name, postal address, email address and phone number. I will ask for your bank details nearer the time of any payment, and I will check them with you before paying.

Yours sincerely, [executor name]

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What to enclose

• Nothing is required. You don't have to send a copy of the will; once probate has been issued, GOV.UK says anyone can order a copy of the probate record, including the will, for £16.
• A reply slip or email address for the beneficiary's contact details, if that makes it easier for them.

Keep a copy of every letter you send to beneficiaries and every signed approval and receipt that comes back, with the estate accounts.

Common mistakes

• Promising a payment date. The letter says what must happen first instead.
• Asking for bank details by email at the start. Ask nearer the time and check them with the beneficiary through a channel you trust.
• Guessing a share before the estate is valued. Describe a residuary share as a share, not an amount, until the accounts are done.
• Paying early. GOV.UK warns you may have to pay a debt yourself if you distribute and the estate then can't pay it.

Frequently asked questions

Does an executor have to tell beneficiaries they are in the will?

Telling them early is good practice: it avoids worry and lets you collect the contact details you need. Residuary beneficiaries are entitled to see the estate accounts later.

When can the executor pay the beneficiaries?

Once the debts and taxes are paid, or you are sure there is enough to pay them, and not until 2 months after a Gazette notice. An executor is not bound to distribute before one year from the death.

Should I ask for bank details in the first letter?

No. Ask nearer the time of payment, and check the details with the beneficiary through a channel you trust before you pay.

What if there is no will?

The intestacy rules decide who inherits, and the administrator writes to them. Our intestacy calculator shows who inherits and how much.

Related guides

• Rights of beneficiaries in an estate
• Executor duties step by step
• Intestacy rules: who inherits

More free letter templates

• Letter to a bank after a death
• Date-of-death valuation letter for shares and investments
• Letter to creditors after a death
• Letter to a pension provider or employer after a death
• Executor letters to beneficiaries
• Beneficiary receipt template
• Letter to HMRC after a death
• Letter to DWP after a death
• Council Tax letter after a death
• Letter to a utility company after a death
• Letter to a mortgage lender or home insurer after a death
• Life insurance claim letter after a death
• Letter to a landlord after a tenant dies
• Letter to DVLA after a death
• Estate accounts template and layout
• All probate letter templates

Sources

• GOV.UK: Distribute the estate
• GOV.UK: Settling debts and taxes
• legislation.gov.uk: Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975, s.4
• legislation.gov.uk: Administration of Estates Act 1925, s.44
• GOV.UK: Search probate records for a will

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.