Obtaining the will

Any joint accounts will convert into the names of the remaining account holders once the death has been confirmed. 

For sole accounts, we need the following documents:

In all cases we'll need:

• formal conifmation of the death, such as an original or certified copy of the Death Certificate or the Coroner's Certificate. In some cases, we may be able to obtain this from the General Registry Office without the need to see the certificate
• one form of identification and one form of address verification if a personal representative does not already bank with HSBC. Please see Help Us Identify You for a complete list of acceptable documents
  
• a fully completed Closure Form. The personal representatives who signs the Closure Form takes responsibility to distribute the balance of the deceased's accounts

In some cases, we'll let you know if we also need to see:

• an original or certified copy of the Grant of Probate/Letters of Administration
• an original or certified copy of the will

We reserve the right to ask for any further documents if required.

Our Bereavement Support Team will give you the Account Closure Forms once you've notified them. You can also find these on this page.

Once we have received the correct documentation, where there is only current and savings accounts, we will combine all the balances and release the funds within ten working days. Where there are other products, this may take longer and we will advise you of this separately within a letter of the balances held at date of death.

If we are aware that a dispute exists over the estate, we will not be able to release the funds until we have seen the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration.

Yes. We will be able to pay the funeral bill for you once we have seen the death certificate and you provide us the funeral bill.

If the bill is an estimate, we will be able to pay the deposit once we have seen the death certificate.

If you have already paid the funeral bill from your own account, we may be able to reimburse you once we have seen the death certificate, the funeral bill and proof of payment.

If sufficient funds are not available, we can make a partial payment, to the value of the funds held, with written confirmation from the Personal Representative(s).

For a complete list of the acceptable documents as proof of identity and confirmation of address please see Help Us Identify You.

Yes. We are able to continue to receive credits into an account after we have been notified of the death. Please bear in mind, some credits may be re-claimed, e.g. state pension.