Support during bereavement

If you have recently lost a loved one, please accept our deepest sympathies.

We understand that it can be a challenging time when a family member or someone close to you dies. It can be hard to cope with the loss of a loved one and to manage legal and financial matters at the same time.

We’re here to help you manage the process of closing or amending any accounts the deceased may have had with us and provide our support.

A guide on the steps you may need to take when someone dies can be found on the following Government webpage Death and bereavement – GOV.UK

 

Letting us know

 

Bereavement Notification

Please contact us to tell us of the bereavement – we are here to offer you our full support. For Bank of Ireland UK accounts, you can let us know online, by post or you can visit your local branch.

Online bereavement form

Business Account Bereavement Notification form

Postal forms should be sent to Bank of Ireland UK Bereavement Unit, PO Box 2298, BELFAST, BT1 9AP.

 

 

Identification

If you are the next of kin or personal representative of the deceased’s estate, we will need proof of identity from you. If you are an existing Bank of Ireland account holder we only need your account number.

 

Your personal information

We at Bank of Ireland (UK) plc (the “Bank”) take your privacy seriously and we want you to be clear about how we use your personal information. We will use the information you have provided for identification purposes only in dealing with you in your role as the deceased customer’s Executor(s)/ Administrator(s) or Nominated Next of Kin and the Bank will comply with the provisions of the General Data Protection Regulations (“GDPR”) and the Data Protection Act 1998 as relevant. Please read our Privacy Notice for full details on the types of personal information we collect, how we use it and who we may share it with.

 

Proof of Death

We will need a certified copy of the Death Certificate or (Interim) Coroner’s Certificate and a certified extract of the will (if it is available) naming the executor(s). We may need a copy of the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration.

We do not need original documents. Branch staff can certify copies or you can go to one of the following:

  • Bank or Building Society official
  • FCA registered broker or introducer
  • Justice of the Peace or Commissioner of Oaths or Notary Public
  • Accountant, Solicitor or Barrister
  • Attorney at Law

You may be charged a fee depending on who you ask to certify the documents.

 

Releasing funds to pay for funeral and funeral related costs

We can release money from the account of the person who has died to pay the funeral director. We can also release money for other costs such as refreshments, flowers or memorial cards.

To pay for the funeral we need:

  • A certified copy of the proof of death
  • An invoice from the funeral director
  • Proof of the executor, administrator or next of kin’s identity (where required)
  • Payment authorisation form signed by the executor(s), administrator(s) or next of kin.

For other expenses we need:

  • A certified copy of the proof of death
  • A certified extract of the will naming the executor(s) (if there is a will)
  • Proof of the executor, administrator or next of kin’s identity (where required)
  • Payment authorisation form signed by the executor(s) (if there is a valid will) or by next of kin (if there is no will).

You can check if you are eligible for help with funeral costs from the government by visiting Get help with funeral costs (Funeral Expenses Payment): How it works – GOV.UK

 

Closure of accounts and release of funds

We freeze any accounts held in the sole name of the person who has died once notified.

If the account has any direct debits or standing orders you will need to contact the companies to advise them of the death of the account holder.

If it is a joint account once we have received a copy of the death certificate we can remove the name of the deceased person from the account. Alternatively, the remaining balance may be paid out and the account can be closed on request.

For queries concerning business current or deposit accounts please contact your local branch or Relationship Manager.

If the total value of Bank of Ireland UK accounts is less than £50,000 we need:

  • A certified copy of the proof of death
  • A certified extract of the will naming the executor(s) (if there is a will)
  • Proof of the executor, administrator or next of kin’s identity (where required)
  • Payment authorisation form signed by the executor(s) (if there is a valid will) or by next of kin (if there is no will).

If the total value of Bank of Ireland UK accounts is more than £50,000 we need:

  • A certified copy of the proof of death
  • Proof of the executor, administrator or next of kin’s identity (where required)
  • A certified copy of the Grant of Probate (if there is a valid will) or Letters of Administration (if there is no will)
  • Payment authorisation form signed by the executor(s) (if there is a valid will) or by the administrator(s) (if there is no will).

There may be circumstances where we ask for additional documents.