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Bereavement support

Supporting you when it matters

We want to make things as straightforward as possible for you at this difficult time. Our practical online guide is here to help you through some of the important steps you need to take when a loved one dies.

Please note that we can't offer any advice about dealing with tax liabilities of the estate. If you're the Personal Representative of the estate, you may want to seek independent advice.

Step 1

Register the death

Read about how to register the death at a registration office

Step 2

Let us know

You can either use the Death Notification Service or contact us directly

Step 3

Find the Will

See more information on finding out if a Will has been made

Accounts held with Leeds Permanent Building Society

You need to contact Halifax to register a bereavement

Death Notification Service

The Death Notification Service is an external online free service that you can use to tell us when someone dies.

It’ll notify us, and any other participating bank or building society where you have an account, about the death.

It’s quick and easy and you don’t need a death certificate to notify us, but you may need one at a later date.

Death Notification Service

Contact us directly

Email death certificate

Include your name, number, address and relationship to the person who's died.

Our Privacy Policy sets out how we collect information and how and why we use it.

Book a branch appointment

You can book an appointment to speak to someone in your local branch

Book appointment

Call us

03452 682 642

  • Mon - Fri: 8am - 6pm
  • Sat: 9am - 5pm
  • Sunday and bank holidays: Closed

Registering the death

You'll need to register the death at a registration office. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland you’ll need to register within 5 days. In Scotland, you’ll need to register within 8 days.

There are many registration offices in the UK. You might need to book an appointment, so it’s best to check your local council's website for details.

Requesting a death certificate

If you register the death in the district where the person passed away, you’ll receive the death certificate faster. You can register it in another district, but the documentation will be sent to the office in the district where the person passed away, so it might take longer to arrive.

Once you've registered the death, it may take a few days for the death certificate to arrive. You'll usually receive one death certificate for free but it's handy to have extras for other organizations you may need to notify.

You can either pay for extra copies at the registration office or make your own copies.

Finding a Will

It's important to find the last known Will of the person who's died as soon as possible as it should name the Executors. The Executors take care of the belongings of the person who's died using the instructions in the Will. This could be property, money or possessions and is known as their 'estate'.

If you’re not a named Executor, you’ll need to let the Executor(s) know as soon as possible if they’re not already aware. They’ll need to begin dealing with the estate.

What if there isn't a Will?

If there’s no Will in place, you may need to get Probate. This is the legal process that allows a Personal Representative to deal with the deceased’s estate. This is what’s known as ‘intestacy’.

Once the death is registered there's further steps you'll need to take depending on the value of the estate. We’ll provide you with all the information needed to do this.

Need help locating a Will?

If you can't find a Will, you can search government records to find any Will that's been registered.


Once you've notified us of the death, we’ll let you know what your next steps are and send the necessary forms. If you want to see what the forms look like before we send them to you – or need an extra copy – you'll find links in the table.

The table explains which forms you'll need based on the value of the estate and whether or not there's a Will.

If you already know the account information needed to complete the necessary forms (including balances of the accounts) you can print them off and fill them in.

If you need to pay inheritance tax, probate fees or any funeral expenses from their accounts, we can arrange this for you.

Total balance held with us
With a Will
Without a Will
Value of the estate

Below £50,000

With a Will

You'll need to complete an Account Closure Form and send it to us with an original or certified copy of Probate and ID for each Executor

Without a Will

You'll need to complete an Account Closure Form and send it to us with ID for the first named Personal Representative

Value of the estate

£50,000 and above

With a Will

You'll need to complete an Account Closure Form and send it to us with an original or certified copy of Probate and ID for each Executor

Without a Will

You'll need to complete an Account Closure Form and send it to us with an original or certified copy of Probate and ID for each Executor

Registering the death

You'll need to register the death at a registration office. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland you’ll need to register within 5 days. In Scotland, you’ll need to register within 8 days.

There are many registration offices in the UK. You might need to book an appointment, so it’s best to check your local council's website for details.

Requesting a death certificate

If you register the death in the district where the person passed away, you’ll receive the death certificate faster. You can register it in another district, but the documentation will be sent to the office in the district where the person passed away, so it might take longer to arrive.

Once you've registered the death, it may take a few days for the death certificate to arrive. You'll usually receive one death certificate for free but it's handy to have extras for other organizations you may need to notify.

You can either pay for extra copies at the registration office or make your own copies.

Finding a Will

It's important to find the last known Will of the person who's died as soon as possible as it should name the Executors. The Executors take care of the belongings of the person who's died using the instructions in the Will. This could be property, money or possessions and is known as their 'estate'.

If you’re not a named Executor, you’ll need to let the Executor(s) know as soon as possible if they’re not already aware. They’ll need to begin dealing with the estate.

What if there isn't a Will?

If there’s no Will in place, you may need to get Probate. This is the legal process that allows a Personal Representative to deal with the deceased’s estate. This is what’s known as ‘intestacy’.

Once the death is registered there's further steps you'll need to take depending on the value of the estate. We’ll provide you with all the information needed to do this.

Need help locating a Will?

If you can't find a Will, you can search government records to find any Will that's been registered.


Once you've notified us of the death, we’ll let you know what your next steps are and send the necessary forms. If you want to see what the forms look like before we send them to you – or need an extra copy – you'll find links in the table.

The table explains which forms you'll need based on the value of the estate and whether or not there's a Will.

If you already know the account information needed to complete the necessary forms (including balances of the accounts) you can print them off and fill them in.

If you need to pay inheritance tax, probate fees or any funeral expenses from their accounts, we can arrange this for you.

Total balance held with us
With a Will
Without a Will
Value of the estate

Below £50,000

With a Will

You'll need to complete an Account Closure Form and send it to us with an original or certified copy of Probate and ID for each Executor

Without a Will

You'll need to complete an Account Closure Form and send it to us with ID for the first named Personal Representative

Value of the estate

£50,000 and above

With a Will

You'll need to complete an Account Closure Form and send it to us with an original or certified copy of Probate and ID for each Executor

Without a Will

You'll need to complete an Account Closure Form and send it to us with an original or certified copy of Probate and ID for each Executor