Chapter 19 — Dealing with Banks and Other Organisations

After the funeral and the first urgent decisions, the administration of an estate can feel like a long series of phone calls. Banks, insurers, utility companies, pension providers, government departments, employers and subscription services may all need to be told that the person has died. Each organisation will have its own forms, evidence and timescale.

This work is repetitive, but it is not unimportant. A missed account can delay the estate. A forgotten direct debit can drain money. An unreported insurance condition can leave a property exposed. The safest approach is to create one contact schedule and update it every time something happens.

Start with Tell Us Once

Tell Us Once is the Government service that reports a death to many central and local government organisations. In England and Wales it is normally available once the death has been registered, or once the death has been reported to a coroner and the appropriate certificate has been issued. The service can notify organisations such as HM Revenue and Customs, the Department for Work and Pensions, the Passport Office, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, the local council and some public-sector pension schemes.

Use the service promptly. The unique reference normally needs to be used within 28 days. Keep the reference with the estate papers and record the date on which it was completed. Tell Us Once is helpful, but it is not a complete estate notification service. It does not replace contacting banks, mortgage providers, insurers, private pension providers, utilities, employers, landlords or many commercial organisations.

The service may ask for details about a surviving spouse, civil partner or other family member. Obtain that person's permission before providing their information. Keep a note of what was reported and what still has to be done independently.

Use one estate contact schedule

Create a spreadsheet or paper schedule before making a large number of calls. Give every organisation its own line. A useful set of columns is:

Organisation; account or reference; contact date; person spoken to; documents sent; balance or refund; action promised; next follow-up date; final outcome.

Keep copies of letters, forms, certificates and secure messages. Save files with a clear name, such as `Bank-name_account-ending-1234_2026-09-19`. Use an estate email address if one is available, or a separate folder in the personal representative's email account. Do not rely on memory or on a pile of unopened post.

Banks and building societies

Tell each bank or building society about the death as soon as practicable. The organisation will usually ask for the death certificate or an electronic notification, the will if there is one, identification for the person notifying it and evidence of authority. It may place a restriction or bereavement flag on the account while it checks the position.

Do not be alarmed if a bank will not release all money immediately. It may require a grant of probate, a grant of letters of administration, or its own small-estate process. The amount at which a grant is required varies between institutions. Ask what evidence is required and request the answer in writing.

Joint accounts are different from sole accounts. The bank may transfer a joint account into the surviving account holder's name, but the account history and the deceased's contribution may still matter for tax, fairness and estate accounts. Do not assume that every joint account passes outside the estate without checking how it was held.

Ask the bank to identify standing orders, direct debits, savings products, safe custody arrangements, loans, credit cards and linked accounts. Some payments should continue, such as a mortgage or insurance premium. Others should stop. Cancel nothing important until the personal representative understands what it pays for and whether a contract or penalty is involved.

Never use the deceased's debit card, online banking password or security device after death. Even where the family believes the deceased would have approved a payment, using personal credentials can create a serious evidential and legal problem. The bank can explain how authorised estate payments should be made.

Open and use an estate account

An estate account keeps estate money separate from the personal money of the executor or administrator. It is usually the clearest place for refunds, sale proceeds, dividends, tax payments and distributions to beneficiaries. Some banks offer a specific executor account; others allow a suitably named account for the personal representatives.

Do not mix estate money with household money. If an executor pays an estate expense personally, record it and keep the receipt. Reimbursements should be approved and shown in the estate accounts. If there is more than one personal representative, agree who can authorise payments and keep the other informed.

Mortgages and secured lending

Notify the mortgage lender and request a redemption statement or current balance. Confirm whether the loan is in one name or joint names, whether insurance was attached, what payments must continue and what happens if the property is empty. A lender may require a grant before changing its records, even where the surviving borrower continues to make payments.

Do not let a mortgage payment fail while the position is being investigated. At the same time, do not assume that the estate should pay a joint borrower's personal liability indefinitely. Ask the lender for a clear statement of responsibility and take advice where the loan is in arrears, the property is in negative equity or there is a guarantor.

Credit cards, loans and overdrafts

Ask for a balance as at the date of death and a current balance. Establish whether interest or charges continue, whether payment protection or another insurance policy applies, and whether the debt is solely in the deceased's name or jointly owed. A debt in the deceased's sole name is generally an estate liability; a debt in another person's name is not automatically payable from the estate.

Do not pay a family member's debt simply because a creditor uses urgent or threatening language. Ask for the agreement, the account history and the legal basis of any demand. Record disputed items separately and deal with them before distributing the estate.

Savings, investments and ISAs

Banks, platforms, investment managers and registrars will need notification and a valuation at the date of death. Ask for the value of each holding, any interest or dividend that accrued before death, and the income or growth received afterwards. These figures may be needed for inheritance tax, income tax and the estate accounts.

Some investments pass under a nomination or trust arrangement rather than under the will. An ISA wrapper does not necessarily determine who receives the underlying value after death. Ask the provider what form of authority applies and keep certificates, statements and correspondence together.

Pensions and life insurance

Contact every personal and workplace pension provider, even if the family believes the pension has already been dealt with. Ask about death-in-service benefits, survivor's pensions, guaranteed payments, nominated beneficiaries and any lump sum. Pension nominations can operate differently from the will.

Notify life insurers and ask what evidence they need. A policy may pay directly to a nominated person, to trustees or to the estate. Do not include or exclude a payment from the estate accounts until the insurer has confirmed the basis on which it is payable.

Utilities and household services

Read the gas, electricity and water meters and photograph the readings. Tell each supplier the date of death, the property status and the name of the person responsible for future bills. Ask for a final bill or an account in the estate's name. Keep essential services connected while the property is being secured, inspected, valued or sold, unless a professional advises otherwise.

An empty property can still incur standing charges. A supplier may have a bereavement or vacant-property process, but it will usually need regular readings and a contact address. Do not allow a direct debit to continue indefinitely without checking the account.

The local council

Tell Us Once may notify the local council, but confirm what has been recorded. Ask about council tax, any exemption or discount for an empty property, business rates, housing benefit, social care charges, waste collection and local authority housing matters. Rules and evidence requirements vary between councils.

If the deceased held a Blue Badge or a concessionary travel pass, return it as requested. If a council owns or manages the property, ask whether there are repairs, rent, service charges or succession rights that need attention.

HMRC and tax records

Tell Us Once normally passes the death notification to HMRC for personal tax matters, but the personal representatives remain responsible for the estate's tax administration. HMRC may need a final return up to the date of death and information about income received by the estate afterwards. There may also be self-assessment, a business tax account, VAT, PAYE or a tax refund to investigate.

Keep the deceased's National Insurance number, Unique Taxpayer Reference, tax statements and HMRC correspondence. Do not treat a tax refund as distributable money until the reason for it is clear. If the deceased ran a business, contact the accountant and establish who is authorised to deal with the business records and tax account.

Vehicles and the DVLA

Secure every vehicle and locate the V5C registration document, finance agreement and insurance policy. Notify the DVLA of the keeper's death and ask what is required if the vehicle is transferred or sold. Tell the insurer and do not allow anybody to drive the vehicle unless they are properly insured.

Check vehicle tax, finance, parking permits and storage costs. If the vehicle will not be used, ask about a Statutory Off Road Notification. Keep keys, mileage records and photographs until ownership and insurance are settled.

Home and property insurance

Notify the buildings and contents insurer immediately. Death, vacancy, a change of locks, building works and a sale may all affect the policy. Ask about conditions for an unoccupied property, including visits, heating, alarms, water shut-off and security.

Keep proof of inspections and report damage promptly. Do not remove evidence after a burglary, escape of water or other insured event until the insurer has given instructions. If the policy is cancelled, arrange replacement cover before leaving the property empty.

Employers, landlords and housing providers

Contact the deceased's employer for final pay, holiday pay, expenses, death-in-service benefits, workplace pension information and the return of company property. Ask who can provide the employment records and whether any deductions remain.

If the deceased rented, tell the landlord or housing association and check the tenancy, rent, deposit, repairs and succession rules. Do not surrender keys or remove all belongings until the personal representatives understand the tenancy and any claim for rent or damage.

Phones, subscriptions and online services

List mobile phones, broadband, streaming services, clubs, software subscriptions, newspapers and other regular payments. Cancel or transfer them carefully. A phone contract may contain useful authentication, photographs or messages, so preserve evidence before disconnecting it.

Digital accounts need a considered approach. Identify email, cloud storage, websites, online marketplaces, social media and cryptocurrency. Providers have different rules about memorialisation, closure and executor access. Do not share passwords casually or make unauthorised changes. Preserve important records and seek specialist advice where digital assets have significant value.

Post, charities and memberships

Arrange mail redirection or a regular collection. Open post carefully and keep anything that appears to be a financial, legal, insurance or tax document. Redirected post can reveal accounts that were not found elsewhere, but it can also expose the estate to identity theft if the property is insecure.

Notify charities, professional bodies, clubs and trade unions. Some may have benevolent funds, refunds or death benefits. Cancel memberships only after checking whether there is a refund or an outstanding liability.

Avoiding bereavement fraud

Bereaved families are targeted by callers pretending to be banks, probate services, insurers, utilities and government departments. Verify the caller using a number from an official statement or website. Do not disclose passwords, one-time codes or full card details. Be cautious about requests for an upfront fee to release an inheritance, a refund or a property sale.

Keep a note of suspicious contacts and report them to the organisation concerned. If money has been sent, contact the bank immediately and report fraud through the appropriate UK reporting route.

When an organisation will not cooperate

Ask for the organisation's bereavement team, escalation process and list of required documents. Send copies rather than irreplaceable originals unless the recipient specifically requires an original. Use tracked post for important documents and keep proof of delivery.

If a complaint is not resolved, use the organisation's formal complaints procedure and then the relevant ombudsman or regulator. Record the complaint reference and the date by which a response is due. A calm written record is usually more effective than repeated angry calls.

Bank and organisation checklist

1. Register the death and use Tell Us Once where available.

2. Record the Tell Us Once reference and completion date.

3. Create one estate contact schedule.

4. Notify every bank and building society and ask what authority is required.

5. Identify joint accounts, standing orders, direct debits, loans and cards.

6. Stop unauthorised use of the deceased's cards, passwords and online access.

7. Open or nominate an estate account and keep money separate.

8. Notify mortgage lenders and request redemption or balance statements.

9. Obtain date-of-death values for savings, investments, pensions and policies.

10. Notify insurers and confirm empty-property conditions.

11. Read utility meters and arrange final or estate accounts.

12. Confirm council tax, housing and local authority arrangements.

13. Preserve HMRC, employer, business and pension records.

14. Notify the DVLA, vehicle insurer and finance provider where relevant.

15. Cancel or transfer subscriptions only after checking evidence and refunds.

16. Keep a record of every document, promise, balance, refund and next action.

This chapter is about establishing control and a reliable record. It does not require every account to be closed on the same day. Some organisations can be dealt with only after the grant, a valuation or a sale. The aim is to make sure nothing important disappears between phone calls.

The next chapter explains how to identify, verify and pay debts and estate expenses before money or property is distributed to beneficiaries.