Online
Our online form lets you notify us and send the documents we need when you have them. You can also notify a number of banks and building societies about a person’s death at the same time using the Death Notification Service.
Letting us know
What we’ll do next
Once you’ve notified us, we’ll make the process of closing the accounts as smooth as possible.
Ways to notify us
However you choose to contact us, you’ll only need the person’s name, address and date of birth to notify us of their death. We can also help by paying a funeral bill and inheritance tax invoice if there’s enough money in the deceased’s accounts – we’ll tell you which documents we’ll need to do this.
Phone
You can call us on 0800 068 22381(option 1) to speak directly to a dedicated adviser from our bereavement team.
Post
You can write to us at
Bereavement Service Centre
Barclays Bank UK PLC
Leicester
LE87 2BB
If you have the documents listed below, please send them when you notify us. We’ll write back to confirm the next steps.
Branch
If you’d prefer to speak to someone in person, you can visit any branch – it doesn’t have to be where the account was set up. We recommend booking an appointment on 03457 345 3452 so you won’t have to wait when you arrive. If you have the documents listed below, please bring them with you.
Full products checklist
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Loans that are solely in the deceased’s name will need to be paid back from the estate, if the money is available.
For loans in joint names, the surviving account holder becomes responsible for the loan and can continue to make the usual repayments or repay the loan in full.
If you’re worried about making payments on an outstanding loan, please call us on 0333 202 74124.
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These can be left open until maturity, before being paid to the personal representative. Alternatively, they can be closed when the estate is settled, without any loss of interest or penalty.
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We’ll contact our business banking team, including the Relationship Manager, if the account holder had one, who’ll get in touch with the other individuals linked to the business. If this isn’t possible, or the deceased was a sole trader, they might contact you instead.
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If the deceased died on or after 6 April 2018, any cash ISAs will remain open until their personal representatives close the ISA as part of their administration of the estate, or for a maximum of three years from the date of death, whichever is earlier.
If the deceased had an ISA with us when they died and have a surviving spouse or civil partner, they can make use of the ISA allowance that has built up – called the Additional Permitted Subscription (APS). For more information on this and to obtain an application form, please see our APS ISAs page.
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After we’ve received notification of the account holder’s death, we’ll release the money held in trust to the personal representative to distribute, or a replacement trustee can be appointed to manage the account.
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Sole accounts
We’ll freeze any accounts in the deceased’s name only within 24 hours after you notify us, and then
- Cancel any standing orders and Direct Debits
- Stop charging interest and fees
- Cancel all cards connected to the account
- Return any payments received into the account
- Pay back any overdraft from money left in the account
Joint accounts
As long as you’re one of the named account holders, you can still use your joint account. We’ll amend all accounts and stationery to your name, so you’ll be able to use the account as normal.
If you’ve become the sole account holder for a joint account and it has an overdraft, this will now be in your name. If you’re worried about keeping up with payments, give us a call on 0345 703 40344 and we’ll see how we can help. We’re here Monday to Thursday from 8am to 8pm, Friday from 8am to 7pm, and Saturday from 9am to 4pm.
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We’ll freeze these accounts when you notify us. We can then transfer the money into the deceased’s sterling account, or transfer the original currency into a new account of your choice.
Joint accounts will be changed so they’re in the name of the surviving holder. If you ask us to transfer the currency balance into a sterling account, the rate will be sourced at a specific time on the date that the transfer is made. For details on the exchange rate, call us on 03459 757 5755.
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You can ask us to transfer investments that are in the deceased’s name only to one or more beneficiaries, or sell them (the proceeds will be paid to the estate).
Where an account is in joint names and one of the holders has died, the investments can either be sold, with the relevant share of proceeds being paid to the deceased’s estate, or the ownership can be transferred to the remaining holders. We’ll freeze any joint investment accounts until probate has been completed.
If the deceased has a Smart Investor account, you can find out more on our FAQs page.
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For a mortgage in the deceased’s name only, it might be possible to pay it off using the proceeds of the estate or an insurance policy. Where this is not possible, we need to know what you intend to do with the property. For example, if a beneficiary plans to live in it, we may be able to set up a new mortgage in their name, subject to affordability and approval.
For a joint mortgage, if it can’t be paid off by an insurance policy, we can change the account to the name of the surviving borrower, providing the property was owned as a ‘joint tenancy’. If, however, it was owned as ‘tenants in common’, we’ll need instructions on how you’d like to proceed.
Please call us on 0800 022 40226 if you have any mortgage questions.
If you’re worried about making payments to accounts that are now in your name, we’re here to help – just give us a call on 0333 202 7407 and we’ll see how we can support you. Lines are open Monday to Thursday from 8am to 8pm, from 8am to 6pm on Friday, and from 9am to 1pm on Saturday.
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If the deceased had a safe product such as a box, envelope or wallet, please contact our bereavement team on 0800 068 22381(option 2).
We’ll work with you to arrange a convenient time to inspect the contents at one of our branches. We might ask to see certain documents, such as a Grant of Probate or Letters or Administration.
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If the deceased had a trust deed, it should explain what happens if a trustee dies.
If there isn’t a trust deed, the personal representative of the deceased trustee can choose to add a new trustee, leave the account for remaining trustees to run, transfer operation of the account to the beneficiary or ask for it to be closed.
For any questions about this, please contact us on 0800 068 22381(option 6).
What we’ll do next
Once you’ve told us about the person’s death, we’ll stop any further communications to the account holder. It takes a short time to arrange this, so you might receive letters addressed to them in the meantime. We’re very sorry for any distress this causes.
We’ll freeze any accounts that are in the deceased’s name only and cancel all Direct Debits and standing orders.
We’ll give you a personal reference number starting with BRV – keep a note of this as it’ll help our team to answer any queries. We might ask you to provide supporting information – if we do, please write the number on every page.
We’ll aim to make the whole process of closing the accounts as easy as possible for you.
Documents we’ll need to close the account
You can send these documents by post or take them to a branch – we’ll make photocopies and return the originals to you.
1. The death certificate
We’ll need to see a certified copy of the death certificate provided by the registrar. We also accept interim death certificates, coroner’s certificates, and non-UK death certificates that have been translated into English.
2. Proof of your identity
You’ll need to show one of the following
- Valid full or provisional driving licence (both UK and international)
- Valid UK or international passport
- Blue disabled driver pass (showing serial number)
- Benefits entitlement letter or book (excluding Universal Credit)
- Child tax credit or working tax credit letter
- Immigration status documents or UK residence permit
- Student ID card
- UK citizen card
- UK armed forces card
3. A closure form
You’ll be asked to fill in a Personal indemnity closure form [PDF, 182KB] once you’ve notified us. You can complete it at a branch or download it and send to us by post.
4. Other legal documents
If the person had more than £50,000 across their sole accounts with us, we’ll need to see proof that you’ve been given probate – the legal right to deal with the estate.
For more information about what probate is and how to apply, visit the government’s guide to applying for probate.
You don’t need probate for joint accounts
For any joint accounts, the other account holder will become the sole owner of the account and any money in it. You don’t need to apply for probate for this to happen.
Free resources and tools
Co-op Legal Services offers free resources and tools to help you understand probate and other things you’ll need to plan for, including:
- Dealing with personal belongings
- Handling home insurance
- Protecting online accounts.
They also offer fixed-fee probate services. You can get a quote online or call 0330 041 7819.
Co-op Legal Services is a probate specialist and is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. You can also get this service from other companies.
Closing our accounts and services
We’ll tell you what to do when you notify us but if you’d like information about specific types of accounts, you can find it below.
In each case, if there’s any outstanding debt, we’ll pay that back first from the balance if there’s enough money in the deceased’s account.
The next steps
Financial and emotional support
Life after loss
We’ll give you practical help to get you through the first weeks and months following a bereavement, and tell you about free services that can help you cope with your loss.
Definition of terms
Jargon buster
Check our glossary for an explanation of any legal terms you’re unfamiliar with.
