Branches & agencies
Bereavement
Losing a loved one is a very difficult time. Our team will do our best to make the process as straightforward as possible.
Where to start
When you visit the registry office to register the death, they will tell you about the Tell Us Once service. This is a free service that lets you tell most government organisations about the death in one go. You can also get more information at gov.uk/when-someone-dies.
You will need to contact non-government organisations yourself. It is best to order a few official copies of the death certificate from the registry office because some of these organisations will require one. This includes banks and building societies.
Paying funeral expenses
How soon you can claim the money held in savings accounts depends on the size of balance. You will find more information about this further down the page, including about releasing money to cover funeral expenses (if required).
How to inform us
You can inform us by phone or by visiting one of our branches or agencies.
By phone
Please call us on 0800 434 6343. Our lines are open Monday – Friday between 9am – 5pm, Saturday 9am – 12pm. We are closed Sundays and bank holidays.
You’ll need to confirm:
- A few details about yourself.
- Some details about the person who has passed away, including their date of birth, date of death, and their address.
- Some basic account details, if you know them.
We will then explain what else we need to update our records if you prefer to deal with this by post.
By visiting one of our branches or agencies
Please see hrbs.co.uk/branches-agencies for the location and opening times of your local branch. In addition to our opening times, we offer private appointments at our branches between 2pm and 5pm on weekdays.
Please bring proof of ID for yourself (a driving licence or passport – or call us for other options), the death certificate, and account passbooks if you have them. We will ask you to complete a Notification Form.
You will need to provide one of the following documents:
- A death certificate (original or official copy)
- A coroner’s certificate of the Fact of Death (or a certified copy)
- A Death Certificate Verification Form completed by a solicitor
Once we have updated our records, we can release information about the person’s accounts to the deceased’s Personal Representatives.
Joint savings accounts
Control of the account will be transferred to the surviving account holder on the same terms and conditions.
Sole accounts with balances under £250
If the combined balances of all the accounts held by the person (not including any joint accounts) is less than £250, the Personal Representatives can claim the money by completing and (all) signing a Declaration and Indemnity Form. We can give you the form or you can download it here.
Sole savings accounts with balances of £250 to £15,000
If the combined balances of all the accounts held by the person (not including any joint accounts) is between £250 and £15,000, the Personal Representatives can claim the money by completing and signing a Statutory Declaration and Indemnity Form in the presence of (and witnessed by) a solicitor or Commissioner of Oaths. We can give you the form or you can download it here.
Sole accounts with balances over £15,000
If the combined balances of all the accounts held by the person (not including any joint accounts) is greater than £15,000, we can only release the money once we receive Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration
However, we can release money to cover funeral expenses or tax liabilities. You will need to compete and sign a withdrawal form (we can give you this or you can download it here), and provide us with:
1. the invoice for funeral expenses (the cheque will be made payable to the funeral director); or
2. the tax demand (the cheque will be made payable to HMRC or the Probate Registry as appropriate).
Money paid into the account by standing orders
If any organisations or individuals pay money into the savings account electronically, such as by Standing Order, they will need to be informed so that the arrangement can be cancelled. Any payments received once our records have been updated may be returned to them.
Business Accounts
If the person held a business/deposit account, there may be other things you need to do. Our team will discuss these with you once you have informed us.
Sole mortgage
Once we have updated our records, we will send further paperwork for the Personal Representatives to provide us with their details, ID, and future plans for the property.
Joint mortgage
Control of a joint mortgage account is transferred to the surviving account holder on the same terms and conditions.
We are here to help, so if you have any questions please do get in touch with us on 0800 434 6343
Not sure what you need?
Let us help
Explore our website to find what you need, or click below to get in touch with a member of our team.