We’re here to help
Losing someone close to you can be very difficult. In addition to the emotional upheaval of coping with a death, you may also need to take care of their financial affairs.
This guide will help if you need to settle the banking affairs of someone who has died. When you are bereaved, dealing with the deceased’s affairs may feel complicated and time consuming. To help, we have provided answers to some frequently asked questions. These cover everything from what documents you will need to provide to us, to what happens if the late customer held a joint account. If at any time you are unsure how to proceed, please contact us.
If you are an executor, please read about the changes we are proposing as part of UK ring-fencing legislation.
How do I let you know?
If the deceased was a Santander International customer, please contact us as soon as possible. If the deceased held accounts with a branch other than the Isle of Man branch or Jersey branch, you will need to contact Santander UK plc’s Bereavement Service separately.
We will require one of the following documents in order that we can amend our records:
- the original death certificate; or
- a certified copy of the death certificate.
At the point of notification for a Sole Account holder we will block all access to Online Banking and also any Visa debit cards in the late customer’s name. For Joint Account holders, the late customer’s access to Online Banking, and any Visa debit cards in their name will be blocked. These preventative measures are designed to prevent against theft or fraud.
Please note that we are unable to release any information in regards to any account(s) a person might have held with Santander International until we are in receipt of one of these documents.
Words you may come across when someone dies
Below is a glossary which will help you to understand some of the terms used when you are dealing with a bereavement.
Beneficiary: a person who inherits part or all of the estate.
Certified copy: a copy of the original document that has been signed and verified by an acceptable professional person.
Customer/Personal representative: generic term for someone who is administering the estate.
Crown Dependency: a territory that is under the sovereignty of the British Crown but does not form part of the UK. The Crown dependencies are the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.
Death certificate: the legal document issued by the registry office after a death has been registered.
Estate: all assets, including money held in a bank account, belonging to the deceased.
Executor: a person appointed by a testator to carry out the terms of their Will.
Grant of Letters of Administration: a document giving the authority to administer an estate where there is no Will. This is known as dying intestate.
Grant of Probate: A document formally allowing someone to administer the personal property (movable estate) held in the country of issue of someone who has died. The deceased must have left a Will.
Grant of Representation: a collective term for both the Grant of Probate and the Grant of Letters of Administration. The Grant provides the names and addresses of the Executors or administrators.
Intestacy rules: the rules dictating how the deceased’s estate is to be shared when there is no Will.
Joint Account: means an account that is held by more than one person with us. Joint account holders are jointly and severally liable for any funds, deposits withdrawals and general up keep of the account, in line with the agreed terms and conditions of their account(s).
Situs: the place where something (i.e. your bank account) is held to be located in law.
Testator: A person who has made a Will.