Help with bereavement

If you have lost someone in your business or who operated a business account, we are here to help make the process of sorting out the finances as simple and straightforward as possible.

Should the worst happen you can rely on us to give you guidance and support when you need it most. We will answer any questions you may have, explain the next steps you need to take and guide you through the process of how best to deal with the business accounts.

Support

We will answer any questions you may have, explain the next steps you need to take and guide you through the process of how best to deal with the business accounts.

If a Will is in place you will need to inform the Executors immediately as they have responsibility for dealing with the Estate, including advising any financial institutions and managing any property.

If Bank of Scotland is appointed Executor then please contact our Estate Administration Support Team on 0800 056 0171. They will be able to help you with:

  • Administration of the Estate
  • Applying for Grant of Probate
  • Administering the Estate when the Executors cannot act, of it this is no Will in place.

Where Bank of Scotland is the Executor under the Will there is no need to speak to anyone else.

Business bereavement documentation

To help us deal with the matter as quickly as possible we will ask you to give us some documents. If a business can’t continue trading with the same business account, or is being closed as a result of the death, we will give you a Bereavement form which you will need to complete and return.

Alternatively, you can download a copy:

£0-£3m business account turnover bereavement form (PDF, 188KB)
£3m-£25m business account turnover bereavement form (PDF, 179KB)

We will also ask you for:

  • An original or certified copy of the death certificate
  • Proof of your identification or confirmation of your account details if you hold an account with us.

Depending on the business type, we may possibly ask for some additional documentation. We will let you know if this is the case.

We will usually only need to see the Grant of Probate or equivalent document if the value of the accounts is more than £50,000. This document may not be immediately available to you but we will need to see the original or a certified copy when you have access to it.

Sending documentation to us

If you are a Bank of Scotland or Lloyds Bank customer you can take the completed bereavement form and documents into your local branch. If required the branch will copy and certify the document(s) for you.

If you are not a Bank of Scotland or Lloyds Bank customer you can still bring all documents directly into a branch but we will ask for evidence of your identification.

If you are unable to get to a branch or would prefer to post the documents to us, you can send them to:

Bank of Scotland
Business Banking
PO Box 1984
Andover
SP10 9GZ

Please send us the original death certificate or a copy which has been certified and stamped by a solicitor or a notary public. We will return any originals to you. All documents would be sent at your own risk, so we would highly recommend that you use a secure method of delivery to post them.

Personal accounts only

If the deceased also held personal accounts with us you may wish to make an appointment with a branch colleague who will be happy to give you support and help you complete the relevant documentation. If you would like to make an appointment at your local branch please call 0800 0560073.

If the deceased had accounts and products with other parts of Lloyds Banking Group, in the majority of cases you only need to report the death once and we will notify the relevant departments on your behalf.

For additional information, including a full list of the companies we are able and unable to notify, please refer to the Financial Services after a Bereavement guide (PDF, 1.1 MB)

Further support

  • 1. Will the account be suspended?
    If the holder of a Sole Trader account has passed away, the account will be suspended.

    Accounts for a Limited Company with multiple directors will remain operational unless we are advised otherwise by the representative, or if we need to reassess our security over any debt owed to us by the company.

    All other account types will be assessed on an individual basis. The Relationship Manager or a member of our team will work with you to understand the next steps.

    2. What will happen to direct debits and standing orders?
    If the holder of a Sole Trader account has passed away, all direct debits and standing orders will be stopped.

    For accounts connected to a Limited Company with multiple directors, the payments will continue while the account remains active, unless we are advised otherwise by the representative or if we need to reassess our security over any debt owed to us by the company.

    All other account types will be assessed on an individual basis. The Relationship Manager or a member of our team will work with you to understand the next steps.

    3. What do I need to do if the business has existing lending?
    We will work with you to deal with any outstanding lending and explain all possible options.

    4. What happens to the credit/charge cards on the account?
    Any outstanding balance on Sole Trader or Limited Company Sole Director accounts will need to be repaid by the available funds in the business account or the estate. However, if there are no funds available within the accounts or estate we’ll work with you to resolve the matter.

    For Limited Companies with multiple directors or Limited Liability Partnerships, any credit/charge cards on the account in the name of the deceased would need to be cancelled. If there are multiple card holders in the name of the company, then the facility should continue. The Relationship Manager assigned to your case or a member of our team will be able to give you all the information you need.

    All other account types will be assessed on an individual basis.

    5. What does the term ‘certify’ mean?
    When a document is certified it is officially confirmed as being genuine or a true copy. Documents are usually certified by a solicitor or notary public. If you take the original document(s) into branch, a member of staff will be happy to make a copy and certify it for internal use within Lloyds Banking Group.

    6. Do I need to worry about Inheritance tax?
    Depending on the size of the estate and who the beneficiaries are there may be a liability to pay Inheritance Tax.

    You can contact your local tax office directly or visit the HMRC website.

    7. What if there is a Will?
    >If the person who has died leaves a Will, the person(s) named as Executors act as representatives of the person who has died. The Executors take legal responsibility for carrying out the instructions in the Will, and dealing with the money and property, known as the estate. In Scotland the personal representatives are known as executor -nominate when there is a Will.

    If the Bank is appointed Executor please contact the Bank’s Estate Administration Support Team on 0800 056 0171.

    Where the Bank is the Executor under the Will there is no need to speak to anyone else.

    8. What if there isn’t a Will?
    If the person who has died has not left a Will this is called ‘intestate’. The law sets out who should inherit the estate. You may need to apply for authority to be the administrator of the estate. The administrators will act as personal representatives of the person who has died and take legal responsibility of the estate. In Scotland the personal representatives are known as executor dative when there isn’t a Will. If unsure, please seek legal advice.

    9. I need help with administering the Estate
    The Bank’s Estate Administration Support Team will be able to offer support and guidance regarding the administration of the Estate. This includes applying for Grant of Probate, administering the Estate when the Executors cannot act or if there is no Will in place.

    For further advice, please contact the team on 0800 056 0171.

    Fraud awareness 
    If you have any concerns about fraud or want to find out more about steps you can take to stay secure online, please see our Online Security advice.

    Additional support available to you 
    If you have any questions that are not already covered in this list of frequently asked questions and you know the number of the Relationship Manager for the business account, please contact them directly.

    Alternatively, you can contact us on 0345 366 0025. Lines are open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. 

    If you are calling from abroad, you can contact us on +44 131 5498724

    External support available to you

    For further support and guidance, there are several external organisations that will be able to support you during this difficult time. A list of these companies can be found within our Financial Services after a Bereavement guide (PDF).

  • We realise how difficult a time this can be, so we will be available to offer support when you need it. Our guide below explains how we can help:

    • Sole Traders
      Sole Trader accounts are referred to our Specialist Bereavement Support Unit who will liaise directly with you while they are handling the case. Any Sole Trader accounts, where the account holder has passed away, will be suspended.
    • Limited Company Sole Director
      Limited Company Sole Director accounts will be assessed on an individual basis. The Relationship Manager or a member of our team will work with you to understand the requirements and operation of the accounts in the future.
    • Limited Company with multiple directors
      If the Limited Company has multiple full power signatories, the Relationship Manager or a member of our team will work with you to help you understand the requirements and operation of the accounts going forward.
    • Clubs, Charities and Societies (CC&S) and Trusts
      If there are multiple full power signatories, the Relationship Manager or a member of our team will arrange for the relevant documentation to be sent to you to update the signatory details on the account(s).
    • Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs)
      In the case of Limited Liability Partnerships, the Relationship Manager or a member of our team will help you understand the requirements and operation of the accounts going forward.
    • Partnerships
      In the case of Partnerships, the Relationship Manager or a member of our team will work with you to understand the requirements and operation of the accounts going forward.

  • If you have the telephone number of the Relationship Manager for the business account, please contact them directly.

    Alternatively, you can contact us on 0345 366 0025. Lines are open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. 

    If you are calling from abroad please call us on +44 131 5498724.