Bereavement
Notify us when someone dies
With our online form, you won’t need to call or visit us. Just fill it in any time. You can upload the documents we need or, if you don’t have them yet, you can come back and add them later. You can contact us in other ways to notify us when someone dies.
Dealing with the financial affairs of someone close to you when you’re grieving is never easy. We hope our guide will help you through this difficult time.
Next steps after notifying us
Once you’ve told us about the person’s death, we’ll stop any further communications to the account holder. It takes a short time to arrange this, so you might receive letters addressed to them in the meantime. We’re very sorry for any distress this causes.
- We’ll freeze any accounts that are in the deceased’s name only and cancel all Direct Debits and standing orders.
- We’ll give you a personal reference number starting with BRV – keep a note of this as it’ll help our team to answer any queries. We might ask you to provide supporting information – if we do, please write the number on every page.
- We’ll aim to make the whole process of closing the accounts as easy as possible for you.
Things to consider
From registering the death to dealing with the person’s financial affairs, we’ll support you at every step.
Documents we’ll need to close the account
You can send us documents online or by post or take them to a branch – we’ll make photocopies and return the originals to you.
We’ll need to see a certified copy of the death certificate provided by the registrar. We also accept interim death certificates, coroner’s certificates, and non-UK death certificates that have been translated into English.
You’ll need to show one of the following
- Valid full or provisional driving licence (both UK and international)
- Valid UK or international passport
- Blue disabled driver pass (showing serial number)
- Benefits entitlement letter or book (excluding Universal Credit)
- Child tax credit or working tax credit letter
- Immigration status documents or UK residence permit
- UK armed forces card
If you can’t provide these documents, please call us on 0800 068 2238(1) (option 2) to speak directly to a dedicated advisor from our bereavement team to discuss other options.
You’ll be asked to fill in a closure form [PDF, 182KB] once you’ve notified us. You can download it and send it to us online or complete it at a branch.
If the person had more than £50,000 across their sole accounts with us, we’ll need to see proof that you’ve been given probate – the legal right to deal with the estate.
For more information about what probate is and how to apply, visit the government’s guide to applying for probate.
You don’t need probate for joint accounts
For any joint accounts, the other account holder will become the sole owner of the account and any money in it. You don’t need to apply for probate for this to happen.
Financial and emotional support
You’re not alone – we’ll guide you through the practicalities, and let you know about ways to get further help.
Frequently asked questions
You’ll need to show your ID using one of the following
- Valid full or provisional driving licence (both UK and international)
- Valid UK or international passport
- Blue disabled driver pass (showing serial number)
- Benefits entitlements letter or book
- Child tax credit or working tax credit letter
- Immigration status documents or UK residence permit
- UK armed forces card
If you can’t provide these documents, please call us on 0800 068 2238(1) (option 2) to speak directly to a dedicated advisor from our bereavement team to discuss other options.
Please be reassured that you’ll be able to continue with your day-to-day banking. Once you’ve notified us of the person’s death, we’ll change the account to your name only.
If the deceased has any loans or overdrafts with us, or a Barclaycard, we’ll recover what they owe from their current account before releasing any remaining money to the executor or administrator of the estate.
If there isn’t enough money in the account to pay off everything the deceased owes, we may ask our bereavement partner, Philips & Cohen, to add the debt to the deceased’s estate. Phillips & Cohen is the UK’s only dedicated deceased account management business, offering support and guidance to help resolve outstanding accounts.
If you’ve any more questions about this, please contact our bereavement team on 0800 068 2238(1) (option 2) and speak to a dedicated adviser.
If they died on or after 6 April 2018, any cash ISAs will remain open until their personal representatives close the ISA as part of their administration of the estate, or for a maximum of three years from the date of death, whichever is earlier.
As a spouse or civil partner, you can make use of the ISA allowance that has built up, which is called the Additional Permitted Subscription (APS).
For more information on this and to obtain an application form, please see our APS ISAs page.
Things to remember
Your personal reference number
We’ll give you a personal reference number beginning with BRV – please keep it handy and mention it when contacting us.
Balancing the accounts
If the deceased has loans, overdrafts or a Barclaycard with us, we’ll recover what they owe from their existing account(s).
Power of attorney
Once a person dies, powers of attorney set up on their account will cease to exist.
More on other products
If the deceased has other products such as loans, overdrafts or a Barclaycard with us, please find information related to them below –
We’ll close the account, cancel the card and stop charging interest on any outstanding balance.
If an additional cardholder would like to apply for a card in their own name only, they can apply by visiting https://www.barclays.co.uk/credit-cards/
If the deceased was an additional cardholder, we’ll update our records and the account will continue.
Loans that are solely in the deceased’s name will need to be paid back from the estate, if the money is available.
For loans in joint names, the surviving account holder becomes responsible for the loan and can continue to make the usual repayments or repay the loan in full.
If you’re worried about making payments on an outstanding loan, please call us on 0333 202 7412(2).
These can be left open until maturity, before being paid to the personal representative. Alternatively, they can be closed when the estate is settled, without any loss of interest or penalty.
We’ll contact our business banking team, including the Relationship Manager, if the account holder had one, who’ll get in touch with the other individuals linked to the business. If this isn’t possible, or the deceased was a sole trader, they might contact you instead.
If the deceased died on or after 6 April 2018, any cash ISAs will remain open until their personal representatives close the ISA as part of their administration of the estate, or for a maximum of three years from the date of death, whichever is earlier.
If the deceased had an ISA with us when they died and have a surviving spouse or civil partner, they can make use of the ISA allowance that has built up – called the Additional Permitted Subscription (APS). For more information on this and to obtain an application form, please see our APS ISAs page.
After we’ve received notification of the account holder’s death, we’ll release the money held in trust to the personal representative to distribute, or a replacement trustee can be appointed to manage the account.
Sole accounts
We’ll freeze any accounts in the deceased’s name only within 24 hours after you notify us, and then
- Cancel any standing orders and Direct Debits
- Stop charging interest and fees
- Cancel all cards connected to the account
- Return any payments received into the account
- Pay back any overdraft from money left in the account
Joint accounts
As long as you’re one of the named account holders, you can still use your joint account. We’ll amend all accounts and stationery to your name, so you’ll be able to use the account as normal.
If you’ve become the sole account holder for a joint account and it has an overdraft, this will now be in your name. If you’re worried about keeping up with payments, give us a call on 0345 703 4034(2) and we’ll see how we can help. We’re here Monday to Thursday from 8am to 8pm, Friday from 8am to 7pm, and Saturday from 9am to 4pm.
We’ll freeze these accounts when you notify us. We can then transfer the money into the deceased’s sterling account, or transfer the original currency into a new account of your choice.
Joint accounts will be changed so they’re in the name of the surviving holder. If you ask us to transfer the currency balance into a sterling account, the rate will be sourced at a specific time on the date that the transfer is made. For details on the exchange rate, call us on 03459 757 575(1).
You can ask us to transfer investments that are in the deceased’s name only to one or more beneficiaries, or sell them (the proceeds will be paid to the estate).
Where an account is in joint names and one of the holders has died, the investments can either be sold, with the relevant share of proceeds being paid to the deceased’s estate, or the ownership can be transferred to the remaining holders. We’ll freeze any joint investment accounts until probate has been completed.
If the deceased has a Smart Investor account, you can find out more information here.
For a mortgage in the deceased’s name only, it might be possible to pay it off using the proceeds of the estate or an insurance policy. Where this is not possible, we need to know what you intend to do with the property. For example, if a beneficiary plans to live in it, we may be able to set up a new mortgage in their name, subject to affordability and approval.
For a joint mortgage, if it can’t be paid off by an insurance policy, we can change the account to the name of the surviving borrower, providing the property was owned as a ‘joint tenancy’. If, however, it was owned as ‘tenants in common’, we’ll need instructions on how you’d like to proceed.
Please call us on 0800 022 4022(3) if you have any mortgage questions.
If you’re worried about making payments to accounts that are now in your name, we’re here to help – just give us a call on 0333 202 7407 and we’ll see how we can support you. Lines are open Monday to Thursday from 8am to 8pm, from 8am to 6pm on Friday, and from 9am to 1pm on Saturday.
If the deceased had a safe product such as a box, envelope or wallet, please contact our bereavement team on 0800 068 2238(1) (option 2).
We’ll work with you to arrange a convenient time to inspect the contents at one of our branches. We might ask to see certain documents, such as a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration.
If the deceased had a trust deed, it should explain what happens if a trustee dies.
If there isn’t a trust deed, the personal representative of the deceased trustee can choose to add a new trustee, leave the account for remaining trustees to run, transfer operation of the account to the beneficiary or ask for it to be closed.
For any questions about this, please contact us on 0800 068 2238(1) (option 6).
Free resources and tools
Co-op Legal Services offers free resources and tools to help you understand probate and other things you’ll need to plan for, including:
- Dealing with personal belongings
- Handling home insurance
- Protecting online accounts.
They also offer fixed-fee probate services. You can get a quote online or call 0330 041 7819.
Co-op Legal Services is a probate specialist and is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. You can also get this service from other companies.
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Get help or contact us
Choose how you prefer to let us know when someone dies.
Phone
If you’ve already let us know and want to talk to us about it, you can call us on 0800 068 2238(1) (option 2) to speak directly to a dedicated advisor from our bereavement team. Please use (option 1) if you would like to notify us by phone.
We’re available Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm, and Saturdays, 9am to 2pm.
Book an appointment
To speak to us via video or at a branch, book an appointment. For video calls, we’ll confirm the required documents and how to send them.
If you’ve already contacted us and need to follow up, call 0800 068 2238(1) (option 2) Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm, and Saturdays, 9am to 2pm.
Death notification service
You can also notify a number of banks and building societies about a person’s death at the same time using the Death Notification Service.
You can also send a letter to Bereavement Service Centre, Barclays Bank PLC, Leicester, LE87 2BB.
If you have a personal reference number, beginning with BRV, please add it to any pages you send us.
Important information
Lines are open Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm and Saturday 9am to 2pm. Closed on bank holidays. Call charges.(Return to reference)
To maintain a quality service, we may monitor or record phone calls. Call charges. (Return to reference)
Lines are open Monday to Friday 8.30am-5.30pm and Saturday 9am-1pm. Closed on bank holidays. Call charges.(Return to reference)