Letting us know someone has died

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:

If you don’t yet have a death certificate or other proof of death

The easiest way to let us know is to use our simple online notification form, so we can freeze the accounts. Alternatively, you can call on us 08000150012 (or 44(0)1733 261630 if you’re abroad) or visit us in branch if you’d prefer to talk to someone. Lines are open 8am-8pm every day.

Go to online form

Once you’ve got the death certificate or other proof of death, please follow the steps below. 

If you do have a death certificate or other proof of death

You can use our online Bereavement Registration form.  We'll need to see proof of death and proof of your identity. You can upload a scan or photograph of this. The documents we accept are listed below. The Bereavement Registration form should be completed by an Executor, Personal Representative or Solicitor acting on behalf of the deceased customer’s accounts.

Bereavement Registration form

Alternatively please call 08000150012 (or 44(0)1733261630 if you’re abroad). Lines are open 8am-8pm, every day. You can also use this number if you’d like to book an appointment in branch. 

To be able to talk to us, you’ll need to be one of the following:

  • Next of kin to the deceased
  • An executor of the will 
  • A personal representative (when there’s no will)

Closing other accounts

To keep things simple for you, we’ll deal with these brands across our group at the same time:

  • Lloyds Bank
  • Halifax
  • Bank of Scotland
  • MBNA

Once we’ve received a death certificate, we’ll also notify these brands for you: 

  • Scottish Widows
  • Clerical Medical
  • Birmingham Midshires

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.
 

On occasion, we may ask you to provide further information to help move things along. If prompted please complete our Bereavement Form (PDF 82 KB)

Extra help and support

For more in-depth information about our bereavement service and what happens once you’ve told us someone has died, please read our downloadable guide.

If you have any more questions and want to speak to us, please call 0800 015 0012 (or 44(0)1733261630 if you’re abroad). Lines are open 8am-8pm, every day. 

Downloadable PDF guide (2.8MB)

Probate and administering an estate

If you need support and guidance with any aspect of administering an estate such as applying for a Grant of Probate then please call our Estate Administration Service on 08000560171. Lines are open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday.

More about the Estate Administration Service.

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

    You can also use any of these, as long as they’re 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
    • 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)


     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:

    • 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.

  • 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 

    Visit: gov.uk/browse/births-deaths-marriages/death

Other accounts

If you're dealing with one of these accounts, our guides are here to help.

Share Dealing (PDF 676KB)

Scottish Widows (PDF 185KB)

Important legal information

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).

Telephone calls may be monitored or recorded in case we need to check we have carried out your instructions correctly and to help us improve our quality of service.