LOSING A LOVED ONE
When you've lost someone, speaking to banks will be the last thing on your mind. We’re here to help make the process as simple as possible
Get in touch
The easiest way to notify us about a death if you don’t yet have a death certificate, is to use our online form. Once we’ve received your notification we will freeze the accounts. We will still need you to get in touch once you have a death certificate.
If you already have a death certificate, please call our Specialist Bereavement Team on 0800 015 0012 and we’ll guide you through the next steps.
The challenging times we’re all experiencing means our call wait times are much longer than usual, but we’ll answer as quickly as we can.
What to expect
We’ll ask you for details about the person that’s died and your relationship to them. If you haven’t found a will, don’t worry, we can still help. If you have any questions, you may want to make a list and we'll do our best to answer them all.
We’ll also need to speak to the executor or next of kin. If that’s you, then you’ll need:
- The death certificate
- Proof of your identity
- Passbooks, cards and cheque books to help us find and protect the accounts.
You can use your passport or photo driving licence as proof of identification. If you don’t have one of these, when you call us, we’ll let you know the other types of ID we accept.
Help with funeral bill payments
Once you have a death certificate we’ll be able to support you over the phone or in one of our branches to arrange payment of a funeral bill or other urgent expenses.
What happens next?
During our conversation, we’ll take the time to support you, talk you through each stage and make sure we understand exactly what you need. Then, we’ll go ahead and make any relevant changes. We can do things like close any of their accounts or put joint accounts in the surviving person’s name.
Once you have notified us of a death we will notify these brands in Lloyds Banking Group so you don’t have to;
- Lloyds Bank
- Halifax
- Bank of Scotland
- MBNA
Once we’ve received a death certificate, we will also notify these brands for you;
- Scottish Widows
- Clerical Medical
- Birmingham Midshires
If accounts were held with other banks and you still need to notify them, you can use the free Death Notification Service.
As we handle your case, if we need any more information, we'll let you know.
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1. Who should contact the bank after someone dies?
We need to speak to one of these people:
- The executor named in the will
- Next of kin
- Representative (if there’s no will)
When you call us, we’ll ask for your ID - we do this to make sure you’re the right person to handle this process.
2. Do I need to go into a branch?
No you don’t. For most people, we can handle the entire process on the phone and you can send us any documents after we speak. Plus, if you have an account with us, we can use your telephone banking details to identify you.
3. How do I pay for the funeral and other urgent expenses?
If the deceased has money in their account, it can be used for:
- Inheritance tax
- The funeral
- Probate fees
- Confirmation fees
4. Can I take money out of a joint account?
As the surviving account holder, you can keep using your joint account. If this changes, we'll let you know.
5. What happens to standing orders and direct debits?
This depends on if it’s a joint account or if the account was only in their name. For joint accounts, your regular payments will stay in place. If you want to cancel a Direct Debit, please let us know.
If the account was only in their name, we'll stop all regular payments. Then we'll give you a list of these payments, so you can contact the right companies to either cancel or keep making them.
6. What happens to the mortgage?
How we handle mortgages depends on if it's in joint names or just their name:
Joint names
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 if they were made from just the deceased's account.
Sole name
If the mortgage was just in their name, we won't take any payments for the first 3 months after you've reported the death. However, interest will still continue to be added to the mortgage, so you may want to arrange payments to prevent arrears.
If you want to keep the property, we can arrange an appointment with a Mortgage Adviser to talk through your options.
7. What happens to an outstanding personal loan?
If the loan was just in the name of the person who died and they had money in other accounts, we’ll talk to you about your options. If the loan was in joint names, the other person named in the loan needs to keep making the monthly payments. If the loan is covered by insurance, we’ll tell you how to make a claim.
8. What happens to credit cards?
Additional cardholders won’t be able to use their card anymore. If the person who died had money to pay off on their credit card, we'll contact you and let you know your options. Usually, we use the banking or saving balances they have with us to pay this off. If their card is covered by credit card repayment insurance, we’ll tell you how to make a claim and what to do with the cards.
When the balance is paid, we close the account.
9. What is probate?
If you're named in someone's will as the executor, you may need to apply for a grant of representation. If there's a will, this is called a grant of probate; if there isn't, it's called letters of administration. It gives you the legal right to deal with their estate and do the things they've asked for in their will. You can apply for a grant of probate from the Probate Registry. They'll send this to you after:
- They check the will is valid
- You've sent the right application forms
- All taxes are paid
The process of getting the grant and the document you use to manage the estate is called probate. If you need help applying for probate, we can do this for you.
In Scotland, this process is different. It is called Confirmation and is usually handled at the Sheriff Court.
10. Can I tell you online?
If you’re not ready to talk to us yet, you can start the process with our online form. Then when you're ready, we can help you finish the rest.
11. 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 when you talk to many companies to prove someone has actually died. Ask for more than one copy of this because you'll have to show it a few times.
Sometimes, the cause of death isn't known. If this is the case, the coroner will give you an interim certificate. It will confirm a death has happened and you can use it instead of a death certificate.
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Assets
Any property or possession with monetary value.Beneficiary
Anyone that gets something from the Estate.Estate
The total sum of assets left after all debts have been paid.Executor
The person named in a will to carry out the wishes of the person who has died.Intestate
The term used when the person has died without a will in place.Letters of administration
This is a document that lets you deal with the deceased's estate. You'd get this if there isn't an executor.Liabilities
This is any debt the deceased has. Or any cost an executor has had to pay while handling the estate.Personal Representatives
As a group, executors and administrators are called personal representatives.Trust
A trust is when you hold money or property for someone else. Normally, people do this for children until they're old enough to handle their money.Will
A legal document that says who benefits from the estate and in what way. It also names an executor. This is the person who carries out the wishes in the will. If there is no will, it's called intestate. -
Citizens Advice Bureau
For legal help or to get contacts for counseling visit: www.adviceguide.org.ukCruse Bereavement Care
For general information, counselling and support.Call: 0808 808 1677 or visit: www.cruse.org.uk
Death Notification Service
When someone dies, you can tell many companies at the same time. Visit: www.deathnotificationservice.co.ukGov.uk
For help with what to do after someone dies visit: www.gov.uk/after-a-deathFor information on reporting a death, wills, probate or inheritance tax visit: www.gov.uk/browse/births-deaths-marriages/death
HM Inheritance Tax
For help with tax issues.Call: 0845 30 20 900 or visit: www.gov.uk/inheritance-tax
Probate
To apply for powers to process the will in England and Wales:
Call: 0845 302 0900Call 0845 302 0900 or visit www.gov.uk/wills-probate-inheritanceTo apply for powers to process the will in Scotland:
Apply at your local sheriffs court
Call: 0131 334 0380Call 0131 334 0380 or visit: www.mygov.scot/confirmation/The Bereavement Register
You can use this to take the deceased’s name and addresses off mailing lists or other databases.Call: 0207 089 6403Call 0207 089 6403 or visit http://www.thebereavementregister.co.uk/
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.