What to do when someone dies

A step-by-step guide to dealing with their account

We know there can be a lot to take care of when someone dies, so we try to make this process as easy as possible.

So we can deal with the account properly, you’ll need to send us some documents. You’ll find a list of what we need below, once you’ve selected the account type.

If you’re not sure of the account type – or you need any other help – please get in touch with us on 020 7930 4450. We’re here for you 24/7.

Select the account type

Where to start

1 Register the death

To do this, you’ll need to contact a register office. They’ll tell you what to do next. You can contact any register office, but it will be quicker if you contact the one in the area where the person died.

If the person died overseas, registering the death will work differently. You can find out more about registering a death – in the UK or abroad – on the GOV.UK website.

When you register the death, order copies of the death certificate. You might need to send several organisations a copy of the death certificate, so it’s helpful to have a few on hand.

2 Get in touch with us

You can call us on 020 7930 4450 or email us at help@starlingbank.com. We’re here 24/7.

What you will need

So we can deal with the person’s account, you’ll need to send us:

a copy of the death certificate or coroner’s certificate
a copy of the will, if there is one
details and ID of the executor of the will, if there is one
a certified copy of your photocard driving licence or passport – if you’re a Starling customer, it doesn’t need to be certified

You can email these documents to help@starlingbank.com, addressed to the Bereavement Team. Or you can post them to:

Bereavement Team
Starling Bank Limited
5th Floor
London Fruit and Wool Exchange
1 Duval Square
London
E1 6PW

What you might need

If the account balance is more than £10,000, you’ll also need a grant of probate or letters of administration. Find out about applying for probate.

3 Tell us if you’d like to use any remaining balance for funeral costs

To put any money left in the account towards the funeral, we’ll need:

the funeral invoice
a copy of the death certificate, if you’ve not already sent it to us

We’ll then transfer the money (up to the balance of the person’s account) directly to the funeral director.

You might also be eligible for government help with funeral costs, called the Funeral Expenses Payment.

What happens next

We’ll freeze the account straightaway, which means all payments out of the account (including Direct Debits) will be stopped.

Before we can pay out the money left in the account, we’ll need some documents to confirm who to pay it to. Once we have them, we’ll usually transfer it within 2 working days. If there’s any money owed to Starling, we’ll settle this first.

Dealing with the rest of the estate

For guidance on other things you might need to think about, visit GOV.UK or the Citizens Advice website.

To figure out if there’s inheritance tax to pay, you’ll need to value the person’s estate. The GOV.UK website has guidance on how to value an estate.