We’re sorry to hear someone’s died and appreciate it might be difficult to deal with their accounts. To help you understand what you need to do, we’ve put together some useful information.
What you need to do:
We can help you arrange payment for a funeral bill and other expenses - please ask us about this when you get in touch.
If the deceased has money in their account, it can be used for:
You can also use any of these, as long as they’re dated within the last 3 months
If you’re not a Lloyds customer, you’ll need to provide 2 forms of identification.
How do I get a death certificate?
When someone dies, you’ll get a medical certificate which shows the cause of death. If you take this to a registrar of births, deaths, and marriages, they'll give you a death certificate. You need this to prove someone has actually died. It’s a good idea to ask for more than 1 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.
Can I take money of a joint account?
Yes - if you’re the surviving account holder, you can keep using the account as normal. If anything changes with the account, we’ll always let you know.
What will happen to standing orders and Direct Debits?
If the account is only in the deceased’s name, we’ll stop all payments and send you a full list of what’s been cancelled, so you can contact them if you need to set any up again.
If the account is in joint names, we’ll keep all regular payments as they are. You’ll need to contact us if you want to stop any.
What will happen with mortgage accounts?
If it's in joint names, we'll usually transfer it to the other person named on the account. We might also need to transfer the payments too, if they were made from the deceased's account.
If the mortgage was just in the deceased’s name, we won't take any payments for the first 3 months after you've reported the death. However, interest will continue to be added to the mortgage, so you might want to arrange payments to prevent arrears on the account.
If you want to keep the property, we can arrange an appointment with a mortgage adviser to talk through your options.
What will happen with loan accounts?
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.
What will happen with credit cards?
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.
What is probate?
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:
If you need help applying for probate, we can do this for you.
In Scotland, this process is called confirmation and is usually handled at the Sheriff Court.
Assets
Anything belonging to the deceased with a financial value, like money, investments, property, or personal possessions.
Beneficiary
Anybody that’s been left something in a will or trust.
Estate
The assets left in the deceased person’s will.
Executor
The person named in a will to carry out the wishes of the person who’s died.
Grant of representation
A legal document that confirms who’s allowed to deal with an estate.
Intestate
The term used when the person has died without a will being made.
Letters of administration
This lets a named person deal with the deceased's estate if there isn't an executor.
Liabilities
This is any debt the deceased has, or any costs an executor has to pay while handling the estate.
Personal representatives
As a group, executors and administrators are called personal representatives.
Trust
This is when money or property is held for someone else until they reach a certain age. For example, children who are under 18.
Will
A legal document that says who benefits, and in what way, from the estate.
Citizens Advice Bureau
Visit: adviceguide.org.uk
Cruse Bereavement Care
Call: 0808 808 1677
Visit: cruse.org.uk
Probate England and Wales
Call: 0845 302 0900
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/
Grief Encounter
Visit: griefencounter.org.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
Lloyds Bank plc. Registered office: 25 Gresham Street, London EC2V 7HN. Registered in England and Wales No. 2065. Lloyds Bank plc is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority under registration number 119278.
Eligible deposits with us are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). We are covered by the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).
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