Supporting you when someone dies

Manages finances including: 

• Sends original or official copies of the death certificate to organisations that hold money of the person who has died.

 • Prepares and sends off the documents required by the Probate Registry and HM Revenue and Customs. 

Requests details to manage the estate: 

• Requests details of the balance and interest earned by the deceased in the current tax year up until the date of death, and that accounts are restricted so no one can take money out without the correct legal authority. 

• Requests details of any money owed to the estate. 

Manages the estate:

• Divides the estate as set out in the Will or according to the rules of intestacy. 

• Works out if an amount of inheritance tax is due and arranges to pay it. 

• When Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration have been granted, the Personal Representative collects money belonging to the estate from banks, building societies, insurance companies and pension funds. 

• Pays outstanding debts.

Manages tax and benefits:

It is important to ensure that the deceased’s tax, benefits and National Insurance are up to date. There may be tax due, or their estate might be owed some tax back.

If you’re making a withdrawal or closing a savings account as a Personal Representative we’ll need:

• 1 form of name identification 
• 1 form of address identification

These can be an original document or copy. We no longer require certified copies.

If you’re a Principality member you will not need to provide identification.

We accept the following name documents:

• Current signed UK Passport
• Current signed full UK Driving License* (old paper style license also accepted)
• Non EU Passport and valid Visa°
• EU member state ID card/EU Passport
• HM Revenue & Customs Tax Notification (under 12 months old, not self-assessment)
• State pension or benefits document notification from the Department of Work & Pensions (DWP) confirming the right to benefits* (under 12 months)

We accept the following address documents:

• Gas & electric bill (under 3 months old)
• Local Authority tax bill (under 12 months old)
• Letter from a Government Department about your personal affairs (under 12 months old)
• Official letters from a care or nursing home confirming residence (under 12 months old)
• Mortgage statement (under 12 months old)
• Solicitor’s letter confirming completion of house purchase or land registration together with proof of previous address (under 6 months old)
• Water bill (under 12 months old)
• Local Authority or Housing Association tenancy agreement (under 12 months old)
• Bank, Building Society (savings) or credit card statement (under 3 months old and not an online print out)

Once the bereavement of the mortgage account holder has been registered, we’ll write to the Personal Representative(s) to explain the next steps in dealing with the mortgage. 

Interest will continue to accrue against any mortgages left on the property until it is repaid in full. 

We can help by suspending payments or charges in some circumstances. Please let us know: 

• if there is or will be any difficulty in meeting the normal monthly mortgage payments. 

• if the mortgaged property is going to be sold. 

• if any family members intend on remaining at the property. 

• whether any life insurance policy exists.

What happens next:

• After a death has been registered, the time it takes to process the account closure will depend on each mortgage holders’ circumstances and how the mortgage account was held. 

• We will keep in touch with important updates and if you need any additional support, please contact us.

If the property is jointly owned: We will write to you to explain your next steps once we receive the paperwork from you. This is because there are two different ways of jointly owning property; joint tenants or tenants in common.