MSE News: New service lets you tell several banks about a death with one form

Rich2808

It is hard work dealing with these institutions.

My late father had £50 in a sole account with HSBC and £400 with Nationwide. Before releasing these tiny sums to my mother - his wife as named on the death certificate and sole beneficiary - they both require

The death certificate
Certified copy or original will and
Grant of probate

Luckily we arranged with him for pretty much all his savings and holdings to be on joint accounts - allowing us to cover funeral bills and provide my mother will access to his money immediately.

Surely there should be a deminis level where all the paperwork is not required - eg a spouse can get immediate access to small balances where she or he are the will beneficiary on supplying a death certificate? My mum even had a joint HSBC current account with my dad but they still need all this for £50?!

mro

Rich2808 wrote: »

It is hard work dealing with these institutions.

My late father had £50 in a sole account with HSBC and £400 with Nationwide. Before releasing these tiny sums to my mother - his wife as named on the death certificate and sole beneficiary - they both require

The death certificate
Certified copy or original will and
Grant of probate

Luckily we arranged with him for pretty much all his savings and holdings to be on joint accounts - allowing us to cover funeral bills and provide my mother will access to his money immediately.

Surely there should be a deminis level where all the paperwork is not required - eg a spouse can get immediate access to small balances where she or he are the will beneficiary on supplying a death certificate? My mum even had a joint HSBC current account with my dad but they still need all this for £50?!

Death certificate is enough to allow release of funds for funeral.

Any money after that not so sure as there are Wills to consider, can be issues even between man & wife.