Bank accounts after a death

What happens to bank accounts when someone dies?

By SwiftWillUpdated 24 September 2026England and Wales

Quick answer

A bank normally freezes an account held in the person's sole name once it is told about the death, then releases the money to the executor or administrator. Whether it needs a grant of probate first depends on its own rules and the amount it holds. Joint accounts pass to the surviving account holder. Some banks will pay funeral costs from the account before probate, so ask each bank's bereavement team what it allows.

What happens to an account in the person's sole name?

The bank freezes it once told of the death, and the money becomes part of the estate. For example, Barclays says it freezes sole accounts and then pays the balance where the person dealing with the estate tells it to (checked 24 September 2026). The executor, or the administrator if there is no will, is the person who can close the account.

Tell the bank using its bereavement service, with a death certificate. Some banks also accept interim death certificates from a coroner.
Ask for the balance at the date of death: you need it to value the estate.
Ask what the bank needs to release the money, and whether it requires a grant of probate for the amount it holds.
Close the account and pay the money into an account for the estate, not into your own account.

Does the bank need a grant of probate?

It depends on the bank. GOV.UK tells executors to contact each organisation because every organisation has its own rules, and there is no legal limit that applies to all of them. Two published examples, checked on 24 September 2026:

Barclays needs a grant if the person had more than £50,000 across their sole accounts with it.
NS&I may ask for a grant if the person's total NS&I savings are £5,000 or more, and reserves the right to ask at any value.

If any bank insists on a grant, one grant covers the whole estate. See do I need probate? or try the probate checker.

What happens to a joint account?

The money passes to the surviving account holder, who can keep using the account. GOV.UK says jointly owned money passes automatically to the surviving owners unless they agreed otherwise. Two points to watch:

Overdrafts: a joint overdraft stays with the survivor. Barclays, for example, says the overdraft becomes the surviving holder's.
Inheritance tax: the person's share of a joint account still counts when valuing the estate, even though it passes outside the will.

Can bills be paid from the account before probate?

Some can, depending on the bank. Barclays, for example, says money in the person's accounts can pay funeral costs and priority bills, such as mortgage or rent and utility bills; ask each bank what it allows. Inheritance tax can also be paid before the grant through HMRC's Direct Payment Scheme, using form IHT423, although GOV.UK notes that some banks and providers are not part of the scheme. If there is not enough money for the funeral, check whether you can get a Funeral Expenses Payment.

What happens to savings, ISAs and Premium Bonds?

Different accounts follow their own rules:

ISAs: for deaths from 6 April 2018, an ISA becomes a continuing account of a deceased investor and stays tax-free until it is closed, the estate is completed, or three years pass. A surviving spouse or civil partner can get an extra ISA allowance.
Premium Bonds: NS&I lets them stay in the draw for up to 12 months after the death; prizes go to the person entitled to the money.
Pensions: usually paid by the scheme under its own rules, often to the person named on a nomination form.
Online accounts: include payment apps and online balances in the asset list; see digital legacy.

What if an account turns up later?

The executor collects it and pays it out under the will or the intestacy rules, even after the rest of the estate has been shared out. If a bank now asks for a grant, the executor may need to apply. The executor checklist sets out the full order of work, and what happens to debt when you die covers overdrafts, loans and credit cards.

Sources

GOV.UK: Applying for probate (check if probate is needed)
GOV.UK: Pay Inheritance Tax from the deceased's bank account
GOV.UK: Inheriting an ISA from your spouse or civil partner
GOV.UK: Value the estate for Inheritance Tax
GOV.UK: Funeral Expenses Payment
Barclays: bereavement (example of one bank's rules)
NS&I: bereavement

Sources checked 24 September 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What happens to a sole bank account when someone dies?

Once the bank is told, it normally freezes the account until someone with authority deals with it. The executor or administrator then closes it and receives the money for the estate, with a grant of probate if the bank requires one for the amount it holds.

What happens to a joint bank account when one holder dies?

The money passes to the surviving account holder, outside the will. The bank removes the name of the person who died. For inheritance tax, their share still counts towards the value of the estate.

How much can a bank release without probate?

There is no single limit. Each bank sets its own rules. For example, Barclays says it needs a grant if the person had more than £50,000 across sole accounts with it, and NS&I may ask for one when total NS&I savings are £5,000 or more.

Can funeral costs be paid from the account before probate?

Some banks will. Barclays, for example, says on its bereavement page that money in the person's accounts can cover funeral costs and priority bills. Ask each bank's bereavement team what it allows and what it needs, such as the funeral director's invoice.

Can I use the dead person's bank card to pay bills?

No. Do not use their card, PIN or online banking after the death, even for estate bills. Tell the bank and ask it to pay approved bills from the account, or wait until the executor can close it.

What happens to an ISA when someone dies?

For deaths from 6 April 2018 it becomes a continuing account of a deceased investor and stays free of income tax and capital gains tax until it is closed, the estate is finished, or three years pass. A surviving spouse or civil partner can also get an extra ISA allowance.