Bringing banking to you
A financial wellbeing service for employees of local businesses
Help with Bereavement
By your side when it matters – help and support when losing a loved one.
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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)
Do I need to go into a branch?
No you don’t. For most people, we can handle the process on the phone/email 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.
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.
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.
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.
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 in the jurisdiction of where the account(s) is held.
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.