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:
- They check the will is valid
- They receive completed application forms
- All taxes are paid
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.