How we can support you when someone passes away

The death of someone close is always a difficult time, and dealing with the financial affairs of a loved one when you're grieving is never easy.

There are so many things to think about and decisions to be made. We hope the information on this page, as well as the help of our Bereavement Support Team, will make things a little easier for you.

Letting us know

To notify us of a death and for all other related queries, please contact our Bereavement Support Team.

Our Bereavement Support Team are here to guide you through the money side of things, offering help and information in a simple, straightforward and empathetic way.

Notify us online

The quickest and easiest way of letting us know about a bereavement is by using our online form below.

Once you've submitted your notification, this will be passed to our Bereavement Support Team, who'll work to support you during this time.

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Contact us by telephone

The Bereavement Support Team are available 8am-10pm Monday to Friday, 8am-7pm Saturday and Sunday.

From the UK: 0113 276 6669.

From the Channel Islands, Isle of Man and abroad: +44 113 234 5678.

Use the Death Notification Service (DNS)

If you have multiple banks and building societies to inform, you may be able to tell them in one go with the free UK Death Notification Service.

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What we'll need from you

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Sole accounts

If any first direct accounts were in a sole name we’ll need:

formal confirmation of the death, such as an original or certified copy of the Death Certificate or the Coroner’s Certificate. In some cases, we may be able to get this from the General Register Office without needing to see the certificate
one form of identification and one proof of address, if a personal representative doesn’t already bank with first direct. If you’ve already spoken to our team and have been asked to fill in an identification form, you can download it here: Executor / Personal Representative Identity Form (PDF 57KB).
a fully completed Closure Form. The personal representative who signs the Closure Form takes responsibility to distribute the balance of the deceased’s accounts. If you’ve already spoken with our support team and you’re ready to fill in the Closure Form, you can download it here: Closure Authority Form (PDF 52KB).

Once you’ve told us someone has died, any sole accounts will be frozen.

This means that all payments out of the account will be stopped including any direct debits or standing orders. If any of these payments need to continue, you’ll need to contact the companies directly to agree new payments from a different account.

We also stop money being paid into the account (with the exception of refunds or dividend credits).

Joint accounts

If the deceased held any joint accounts with first direct we’ll need:

formal confirmation of the death, such as an original or certified copy of the Death Certificate or the Coroner’s Certificate. In some cases, we may be able to get this from the General Register Office without needing to see the certificate
one form of identification and one proof of address, if a personal representative doesn’t already bank with first direct. If you’ve already spoken to our team and have been asked to fill in an identification form, you can download it here: Executor / Personal Representative Identity Form (PDF 57KB).

Once the death has been confirmed, any joint accounts will change into sole accounts, with the name of the remaining account holder.

We can work with the person who has legal authority to manage the estate:

the Executor (the person named in the will to deal with the estate)
the Legal Next of Kin (the closest living relative or legal partner (spouse/civil partner).
if there is a will, we’ll deal with the named Executor
if there’s no will, we follow the legal rules for when someone dies without a will. This means we’ll usually deal with the Legal Next of Kin. We may also ask to see Letters of Administration.

What are Grant of Probate and Letters of Administration?

Both a Grant of Probate and Letters of Administration are legal documents from the court:

Grant of Probate is used when the customer has left a valid will. It confirms who the Executor is
Letters of Administration gives the Legal Next of Kin permission to deal with the estate when there is no will.

Banks sometimes need to see these documents before releasing money or closing accounts.

There are account limits to be aware of (if the deceased was a UK resident):

if there is a will (Grant of Probate): £50,000
if there is no will (Letters of Administration): £25,000.

Every situation is different, and what we need can change if we get new information.

We may still ask for a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration even if the balance is below the amount limits above, before we release any money or close accounts.

Funeral costs

Once we’ve seen a copy of the Death Certificate, we can help by making funeral payments from the deceased's account (if there's enough money to do so). If the bill’s an estimate, we can pay the deposit from the account. We could also make payment from the deceased's account for funeral flowers, or the wake.

In order to make the payment, we’ll need to see an invoice that includes the beneficiary’s name, sort code and account number, amount(s) to be paid, as well as a payment reference or invoice number.

We can reimburse the personal representative if payment has already been made. We’ll just need to see proof of payment in the form of a receipt or bank statement.

If you'd like us to do this, we will need to see a copy of the bill, invoice or estimate. Please speak to a member of the first direct Bereavement Support Team who will provide further guidance.

Inheritance tax

It may be possible for us to pay inheritance tax before a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration are issued. This can be up to the value of the money in the deceased's sole account. In order for us to release inheritance tax, the deceased's personal representative will need to provide the Bereavement Support Team with an IHT423 form from HMRC Opens an overlay [Will show a security message first].

Other ways you can get in touch

You can write to us at

first direct

Bereavement Support Team

40 Wakefield Road

Leeds

LS98 1FD

Visit a HSBC branch

You can also notify us in person at your local HSBC branch and they'll liaise with our Bereavement Support Team.

Find your local HSBC branch

If you have any of the following already, it would be helpful to bring these with you when you visit the branch:

a form of identification for yourself in case this is needed
the Death Certificate or Coroner’s Report
a copy of the will, if there is one.

Useful information

What to do when someone passes away

Here are a few steps that need to be taken shortly after someone passes away, including registering a death and dealing with the estate. The hospital or GP involved may also give you advice on what to do first.

Next steps

Bereavement FAQs and useful documents

We answer some of the most common questions about bereavement, plus there’s a glossary of useful terms and forms you may need to complete.

FAQs