Farra is a death administration assistant for UK families. Get step-by-step guidance for registering a death, applying for probate, notifying banks, and managing bereavement admin. From essential documents to practical checklists, Farra simplifies estate paperwork and funeral-related tasks so you can focus on what matters.
Need to apply for probate?
Answer 15 questions and we'll tell you exactly what to file, in what order — from £95.
Provide the bank with a death certificate, your ID, and probate (for accounts over £5,000-£50,000). Joint accounts transfer automatically to the survivor with no probate needed. Individual accounts are frozen until probate is granted, unless below the bank's threshold.
Contact the bank within 1-2 working days of death to prevent fraud and freeze accounts.
Call the bank's bereavement team or visit a branch. Most banks have dedicated bereavement services.
Give the deceased's full name, date of birth, date of death, and account numbers if known.
Ask them to freeze all accounts to prevent unauthorised transactions.
Joint accounts may continue operating for the surviving account holder.
Order multiple certified copies of the death certificate - you'll need them for banks, insurance, pensions, and more.
Joint accounts automatically become the sole property of the surviving account holder. No probate needed.
Provide death certificate and your ID to remove deceased's name from account.
Change to single-name account in survivor's name only.
Cancel any payments that were for the deceased person only.
Add new beneficiaries if needed for your sole account.
If the account was held as "tenants in common" rather than "joint tenants", the deceased's share forms part of their estate and requires probate.
Individual accounts are frozen immediately upon death and require probate or letters of administration to access.
Bank freezes account when notified of death. No transactions possible until probate granted.
You need probate (or letters of administration) to access funds over £5,000-£10,000 (varies by bank).
Some banks release funds under £5,000 without probate for funeral expenses.
Once granted, take probate documents to bank to access and close account.
Banks can release funds for reasonable funeral expenses before probate, usually up to £5,000. Ask your bank about their policy.
Probate Timeline: Usually takes 6-12 months from application to grant. Simple estates may be faster.
Limits subject to change. Always check with specific bank.
Quick process once you provide death certificate and ID.
For accounts under probate threshold with simple documentation.
Waiting for probate grant significantly extends timeline.
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Always call during business hours for bereavement services. Most banks offer priority service for bereaved customers.
Closing bank accounts is just one part of death administration. Our comprehensive checklist covers everything you need to do, in the right order, with clear deadlines.
Quick way to notify multiple banks about a death before closing accounts
Special rules for joint accounts and what happens to the money
Find out if you need probate to access bank accounts
All organisations including banks, insurers and government departments
Notify HMRC and DWP which may affect bank account benefits
Cancel direct debits and notify insurance companies
Complete guide to all death administration tasks
Get death certificates required by banks to close accounts
Getting access to funds before formal account closure
Release funds from bank accounts to pay funeral expenses
Ready to apply for probate?
Answer 15 questions and we'll tell you exactly what to file, in what order, and what to do when it gets complicated.
Get started →Free to start · from £95