What happens when someone dies

We accept the following as ID. For non-photo ID, we need to see three types of ID.

Photo ID (please provide one)

• A valid passport
• A valid full/provisional UK photo card driving licence

Non-photo ID (please provide three)

• A valid old style UK driving licence
• HMRC documentation
• A notification letter from a benefits agency or local authority
• A utility bill or a Sky or cable TV bill
• A bank, building society, credit union or credit card statement
• A life assurance or life insurance policy document, dated within the last 3 months but outside of the cancellation period
• A motor insurance certificate, valid for the current year but outside of the cancellation period

Please note that we can’t accept cover notes.

We need to see ID for all executors named on the Grant of Probate. A Letter of Authority signed by the other executors is needed if the funds are going to an account that is not held by all of them.

It can be difficult to cover the costs of a funeral, but there are ways we can help. If there are enough funds in the deceased’s accounts with us, we can pay the funeral director for you – all we need is an invoice. Any money we release from the deceased’s accounts for this purpose is only for the funeral directors and won’t cover any other expenses.

Alternatively, we can reimburse any costs that have already been covered. We need to see proof of payment like a receipt, and proof of the account that the payment came from. The reimbursement will be paid in to the same account.

Please send the documents by post, take them to a store, or submit scanned copies via email to bereavement.services@metrobank.plc.uk. If you can’t scan documents, please call us on 0345 08 08 500.

You can email or post us scanned copies of documents and ID, and in most cases we won’t need you to visit a store. If you can’t scan documents, please call us on 0345 08 08 500.

If the deceased had a Safe Deposit Box with us, you will need to visit the store where the SDB is held to make the final arrangements and sign the paperwork.

Once we’ve seen the original death certificate (or equivalent) and the representative’s ID has been provided we can give you the deceased’s account statements.

The process for Wills, probate and inheritance depends on where the deceased lived:

• England, Wales and overseas
• Scotland
• Northern Ireland

To apply for a Grant of Probate you will need to:

1. Complete a probate application form (PA1)
2. Complete an Inheritance Tax form – whether or not you think Inheritance Tax is owed
3. Send your application to your local Probate Registry
4. Swear an oath

You can find the Grant of Probate forms online or call 0300 123 1072 for more information.

You can also find the Inheritance Tax forms online.

ISAs:

Once we have seen the relevant supporting documents, we will credit any funds in the account to the beneficiary. We will then close the account. Please be aware that ISA tax benefits end in the event of a death.

If your spouse or civil partner dies you can inherit their ISA allowance.

Subject to HMRC rules at the time, as well as your normal ISA allowance you may qualify for an additional tax-free allowance up to either:

• the value they held in their ISA when they died
• the value of their ISA when it’s closed.

You’ll need to let us know if you’d like to apply for APS elsewhere if your spouse held an ISA with us.

To support you further, if there is enough money in the deceased account, it can also be used for the following:

• Funeral costs
• Inheritance tax
• Probate or confirmation fees.

Other savings accounts:

Once we have seen the relevant supporting documents, we  will credit any funds in the account to the beneficiary. We will then close the account. For Trust accounts, contact us directly to discuss the details.

For fixed-term savings accounts, the term can be cut short in the event of a death, so this type of account will be treated in the same way as any other savings.

To support you further, if there is enough money in the deceased account, it can also be used for the following:

• Funeral costs
• Inheritance tax
• Probate or confirmation fees.

If you are a Spouse / Civil Partner and an ISA was held by the recently deceased, you may be eligible to apply for an Additional Permitted Subscription (APS) with another ISA provider.

Metro Bank no longer accept new Additional Permitted Subscriptions and you’ll need to contact an alternative ISA provider to use this allowance.

We will assist by confirming the balance of the deceased’s ISA in line with HMRC rules at the time.

There are a number of rules around whether Inheritance Tax needs to be paid. You’ll need to complete a tax form either way. The best place to start is by contacting HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) on 0300 123 1072 for more information.

If Inheritance Tax does need to be paid, and there are sufficient funds in an account held with us, we can pay HMRC directly for you. All we need is a completed IHT423 form from HMRC.

Please let us know if you need a valuation and can arrange it being done by:

• you or your personal representative

• the Metro Bank store where the box is located

• a valuation service, if the executor or administrator tells us who they have appointed for the task.

If the family can’t get to a store, a friend can act on their behalf. We will need to see the original death certificate (or equivalent), valid photo ID for the friend, and a signed letter of authority from the next of kin stating they are happy for the friend to act on their behalf.

If there is no next of kin, a friend can act as an administrator if they provide us with a letter of administration and the original/certified Death Certificate (or equivalent), valid photo ID and a completed  Bereavement Notification Form.