Bereavement Support

We’re sorry to hear someone’s died and understand it might be difficult to deal with their accounts. To help make things a bit easier, this page will tell you what your next steps are and what information you need to have to hand.

What you need to do when someone dies

Register the death

Register the death at the local Register Office, where they will give you a death certificate. This certificate helps you organise their money, and people you speak to may ask to see it. We’ll take you through what you need to do. 

The first steps to take

Let us know

Please use our online notification form. This will freeze all accounts straightaway. You can also do this over the phone if you prefer.

I don’t have a death certificate

 

I have a death certificate

Talk to us

Our Specialist Bereavement Team are trained to support you.  You can call us on 0800 028 0691 (or +44(0) 1244 757 230 if you're outside the UK). We’re here 8am-8pm every day. 

When you call, we’ll talk you through things like closing accounts, make sure you know what’s happening, and are getting the right level of support.

Taking care of things for you

As part of our wider group, we can introduce you to the Lloyds Bank Estate Administration Service. If you need support and guidance with any aspect of administering an estate such as applying for a Grant of Probate you can speak to someone on 0800 056 0171 (or +44 01733 286 482 if calling from abroad).  Lines are open Monday to Friday 9am–5pm.

Our initial support and guidance is fee free and without obligation. If you think the service is right for you, we will explain our fees and charges to act as Executor or Administrator in an Estate. Fees and charges for our services are charged to the Estate.

What to do first

    • Get a medical certificate
      This will be given to you by the hospital, GP or coroner. You’ll need this to register the death.
    • Register the death
      Take the medical certificate to a registrar of births, deaths, and marriages, they'll give you a death certificate. This is needed to prove someone has actually died. It’s a good idea to ask for more than one copy because you'll probably have to show it a few times.
      Sometimes, the cause of death isn't known. When this happens, the coroner will give you an interim certificate, which you can use instead of a death certificate. You can check the Government website for a helpful step-by-step guide that explains what you need to do and when you need to do it. 
    • Get a death certificate
      The registrar will provide you with the death certificate. It’s a good idea to get a few copies.
    • Find their will
      This will help with what you need to do next. It may have details about the funeral and will name the executor(s). If Lloyds Bank or Bank of Scotland is named as the executor call us on 0800 056 0171. Lines are open Monday to Friday 9am–5pm. Don’t worry if there is no will in place you can still get in touch.
    • Arrange the funeral
      You could use a funeral director or contact your local council to help with the arrangements.   

  • A will lets you know the wishes of the person who has died. If you can’t find the will, you may need to contact the deceased's bank, family solicitor or personal accountant as it may be kept in safe custody.

    An executor of a will is the person named to carry out their wishes. There should be at least one executor and you should let them know what’s happened as soon as possible. 

    If there’s no will, an administrator needs to be chosen. You can find out more about what to do on the Government website, as it can vary across the UK.  

  • It’s important to tell providers when someone has died, so the right steps can be taken. We can help you with this if you need it.

    You can use the Death Notification Service to let multiple banking providers know someone has died. It’s free to use. Tell Us Once will notify Government organisations, such as HMRC.   

    Most providers will ask to see a copy of the death certificate and let you know what happens next.  

  • If there's money in their account, we can help you arrange payment for a funeral bill and other expenses. 

    Money in their account can cover costs such as:

    • Funeral costs
    • Inheritance tax
    • Probate or confirmation fees
    • Repatriation 
    • Cost of Memorial or Headstone

    Let us know if you would like us to help you with this. 

Handy things to know

  • If you’re not an MBNA or Lloyds Banking Group customer, you’ll need to provide 2 forms of identification.

    • UK, EU, or EEA driving licence
    • Current Passport
    • EU/EEA identity card
    • Northern Ireland Electoral Identity Card  
    • Disabled driver pass

    Or (dated within the last 3 months)

    • HMRC assessment or statement
    • HMRC construction industry registration card or certificate (CIS4, CIS5, or CIS6)
    • Council Tax, bank statement or utility bill
    • Council rent card or tenancy agreement 
    • Mortgage statement
    • Letter from a solicitor

  • When you formally register someone’s death, you can show any one of these documents at your local registry office: 

    • UK or foreign death certificate
    • Interim UK death certificate or coroners’ certificate 
    • Abbreviated extract of death (Scotland)
    • Grant of representation
    • Grant of probate (England, Wales, and Northern Ireland)
    • Letters of administration (England, Wales, and Northern Ireland)
    • Certificate/Grant of confirmation (Scotland)

  • Additional cardholders named on accounts won’t be able to use their cards anymore. 

    If the deceased person owed money on any credit cards, there are several options. Usually, we’ll use any other current or savings account balances they have with us to pay them off. If their cards are covered by repayment insurance, we’ll tell you how to make a claim. If neither of these apply, we’ll get in touch to discuss things further. 

  • If the loan was just in the deceased’s name and they have money in their other accounts, we’ll discuss your options when you get in touch. 

    If the loan was in joint names, the other person named on the loan needs to keep making the monthly repayments. If the loan is covered by insurance, we’ll let you know how to make a claim.

  • If you’ve lost a loved one, and need to let us know, you can contact our specialist bereavement team on 0345 266 6679.

    Mon-Fri: 8am-6pm.
    Sat: 9am-1pm.

  • This is the process used to get the court's permission to deal with a deceased person's estate.

    If you're named in someone's will as the executor, you might need to apply for a grant of representation. If there’s no will, a letter of administration might be needed. 

    You can also apply for a grant of probate from the Probate Registry. They'll send this to you after:

    • They check the will is valid
    • They receive completed application forms
    • All taxes are paid

    If you need help applying for probate we can provide you with guidance on what to do next.

    In Scotland, this process is called confirmation and is usually handled at the Sheriff Court. 

  • Assets Belongings that have a financial value, including money, investments, property and their possessions.

    Beneficiary A person or an organisation who’s been left something in a will or trust. 

    Confirmation In Scotland the probate is called confirmation.

    Current valuation A document which confirms the value of the remaining cash and/or stock held within the person’s account at the time of death.

    Distribution of assets This is the process of selling assets held within a share dealing account as instructed by the named executor of the account.  

    Estate All of the person’s assets, usually detailed in their will.

    Executor The person, named in a will, who carries out the wishes of a person who’s died.

    Grant of representation A legal document that outlines who can deal with the estate left by the person who has died.

    Grant of Probate The legal court document that confirms the executors' authority to deal with an estate. If there’s a will, you’ll need to get a Grant of Probate from the Probate Registry.
    If the estate is held in joint names and passes automatically to the surviving owner (as is often the case with married couples), you may not need to apply for probate.

    Intestate A term used when someone dies without leaving a will.

    Letters of Administration If there is no executor named in a will, then this lets a named person deal with the estate.

    Liabilities This covers any debt left when someone dies, and costs involved with settling an estate.

    Personal representatives The executors and administrators are called personal representatives as a group.

    Probate The process to get permission from the court to deal with the deceased person’s estate.

    Trade A deal to buy or sell an investment such as shares.

    Trust This is when money or property is held for someone under restrictions, such as until they reach a certain age. A trust can also allow assets to pass to someone else before they die. 

    Will A legal document drawn up and witnessed during the person’s lifetime that outlines who receives a share of any assets when they die.

  • Once we’ve received the relevant documentation, we will close the account. Any credit balance held on an account will be transferred to the legal representative or executor. We will usually be in contact within 5 working days.

    If anything else is needed, someone from our Bereavement team will be in touch.

  • Citizens Advice
    Visit: citizensadvice.org.uk

    Grief Encounter
    Visit: griefencounter.org.uk

    Cruse Bereavement Care
    Call: 0808 808 1677
    Visit: cruse.org.uk

    Probate England and Wales
    Call: 0300 303 0648
    Visit: gov.uk/wills-probate-inheritance

    Probate Scotland
    Call: 0131 334 0380
    Visit: mygov.scot/confirmation/

    The Bereavement Register
    Call: 0207 089 6403
    Visit: thebereavementregister.co.uk/

    Help with what to do after someone dies
    Visit: gov.uk/after-a-death

    Information on reporting a death, wills, probate, or inheritance tax 
    Visit: gov.uk/browse/births-deaths-marriages/death

    Tell us Once
    Visit: Gov.uk/tell-us-once

    Death Notification Service
    Visit: deathnotificationservice.co.uk

Letting the right people know

Closing accounts

To keep things simple for you, we’ll sort out any of these brands across our whole group at the same time:

  • Halifax
  • Bank of Scotland
  • Lloyds Bank
  • Clerical Medical                               
  • Birmingham Midshires
  • Intelligent Finance (IF)                   
  • Scottish Widows   Scottish Widows (PDF 185KB)

However, there are a few Lloyds Banking Group companies that you’ll still need to tell separately:

Depending on the balance on the accounts, a grant of probate/confirmation might be needed. If this is the case, we’ll let you know.

You can also use the free Death Notification Service to let other organisations know the account holder has passed away.  

The Government’s Tell Us Once service will contact relevant government services, including HMRC, for you.

Cancel unwanted post 

You can stop most unwanted post by adding the name and address of the person who has died to the Bereavement Register. Registering online will stop most marketing mail within six weeks. 

Or you can call them on: 0207 089 6403

Bereavement Register