Coventry Building Society is the UK’s second-largest building society, with more than two million members holding savings accounts, cash ISAs, and mortgages. When a member dies, their accounts need to be notified to CBS’s specialist bereavement team. Sole accounts are frozen to protect the estate, joint accounts pass automatically to the surviving holder, and the process of releasing funds follows a straightforward path depending on the size of the estate.
This guide covers every step: the phone number to call, how to notify online or in branch, which documents you will need, what happens to different account types, when probate is required, and what to expect in terms of timing.
Quick reference:
- Phone: 0800 587 4565 (Monday–Friday, 8am–7pm; Saturday, 9am–2pm)
- Online form: Register a bereavement
- Post: Coventry Building Society, Oakfield House, PO Box 600, Binley, Coventry, CV3 9YR
- Probate required if: sole account balances total more than £50,000
How to notify Coventry Building Society of a death
CBS offers four ways to register a bereavement. There is no requirement to phone first – the online form works just as well as a call and takes around ten minutes.
By phone – Call 0800 587 4565 (free from UK landlines and mobiles), Monday to Friday 8am–7pm or Saturday 9am–2pm. This line connects directly to CBS’s specialist bereavement team, who are trained to handle these calls with care. Have the deceased’s full name, date of birth, address, and date of death to hand. You do not need every document ready before you call – CBS will confirm what to send next once they have registered the death.
Online – The bereavement notification form is available at coventrybuildingsociety.co.uk/member/help/member-support/register-a-bereavement. The form collects your details and your relationship to the deceased, the deceased’s personal details (name, date of birth, date of death, last address), and basic account information. You can submit it without having account numbers to hand – these are helpful but not essential. CBS will write to you with next steps once the notification has been processed.
In branch – Any CBS branch can accept an initial bereavement notification. Branch staff can take a copy of the death certificate and start the process on your behalf. This is a practical option if you would rather hand documents over in person than post them.
By post – Write to: Coventry Building Society, Oakfield House, PO Box 600, Binley, Coventry, CV3 9YR. Include the deceased’s name, date of birth, date of death, any account numbers you have, and a copy of the death certificate.
What to have ready at the point of notification
At the initial stage, CBS needs:
- The deceased’s full name, date of birth, and last address
- The date of death
- Your full name, address, and relationship to the deceased
- Any CBS account numbers you have (helpful, but not required to get started)
CBS will then write to you with a full breakdown of accounts held and instructions on what to send next. Allow 5–10 working days to receive that letter.
What documents you will need
The documents required depend on the total balance held across sole savings accounts. CBS’s threshold is £50,000.
| Document | When required |
|---|---|
| Death certificate (original or certified copy) | Always – for every notification |
| Account closure form (CBS sends this) | Always – for sole account closure |
| Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration | Required if sole account balances total more than £50,000 |
| Photo ID (one form per personal representative) | May be requested alongside the closure form |
Death certificate – CBS accepts a copy. You do not need to send the original. If notifying in branch, staff can copy it on the spot and return your original immediately. If you are applying online, CBS will confirm what format they need once they have registered the notification.
Account closure form – CBS sends this to the person dealing with the estate once the death has been registered. It needs to be completed by the executor(s) or personal representative(s) named in the will or letters of administration.
Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration – Required before CBS will release funds from any sole account with a combined balance of more than £50,000. You can apply for probate through the HMCTS probate service. In Scotland, the equivalent process is Confirmation, handled through the local Sheriff Court.
CBS can also make payments directly from the account before probate is granted to cover certain estate costs – see the Probate and thresholds section below.
What happens to the accounts
Sole savings accounts
On notification, CBS freezes any sole savings account in the deceased’s name. No money can be paid in, and withdrawals are not permitted. The account stays open as part of the estate until the closure process is complete.
Once CBS has the death certificate and the appropriate closure documentation, they will transfer the balance to the executor’s nominated account.
Joint savings accounts
Joint accounts transfer automatically into the name of the surviving account holder on receipt of the death certificate. The account continues to operate as normal – existing direct debits and standing orders carry over without interruption. No probate is required for a joint account, regardless of the balance.
Cash ISAs
A CBS cash ISA held in the deceased’s sole name is treated like any other sole savings account for the purposes of estate administration. The funds are frozen until the estate is settled.
If the deceased was married to, or in a civil partnership with, the surviving partner, they may be entitled to an Additional Allowance ISA – CBS’s term for the Additional Permitted Subscription (APS). This is an inherited ISA allowance equal to the value of the deceased’s ISA savings held with CBS, and it can be used independently of the surviving partner’s own annual ISA allowance.
The amount is based on whichever is the highest balance at: the date of death, the date the ISA is closed, the date the estate administration is completed, or the third anniversary of the death – whichever comes first. All deposits into the Additional Allowance ISA must be made within three years of death, or within 180 days of the estate administration completing, whichever is later.
To apply for an Additional Allowance ISA, request an application pack by calling 0800 121 8899 or by writing to CBS. The application must be submitted by post.
Surviving partners should ask specifically about this allowance – CBS will not raise it automatically during the bereavement process.
Mortgages
If the deceased held a mortgage with CBS, notify the bereavement team at the same time as reporting savings accounts. CBS will want to know whether the mortgage is in sole or joint names, the property address, and the outstanding balance.
For joint mortgages, CBS can typically transfer the mortgage into the surviving borrower’s name. For sole mortgages, the personal representative will need to discuss options – including whether the property needs to be sold or the mortgage refinanced. Do not stop making mortgage payments without speaking to CBS first; contact them as soon as possible to agree a plan.
Direct debits and standing orders on sole accounts
When a sole account is frozen, any direct debits or standing orders associated with it will stop being processed. If the deceased was paying utilities, insurance, or subscriptions from a CBS account, you will need to contact those providers separately to make alternative arrangements – CBS will not notify them on your behalf.
Probate and the £50,000 threshold
Probate is the legal process that grants authority to administer a deceased person’s estate. Whether CBS requires it depends on the combined total balance held across all sole accounts.
CBS’s threshold is £50,000 (confirmed on the CBS bereavement form at coventrybuildingsociety.co.uk):
- Under £50,000 – the account closure form alone is sufficient. All personal representatives sign it, and CBS releases the funds without requiring a Grant of Probate.
- Over £50,000 – a Grant of Probate (England and Wales), Letters of Administration (England and Wales, no will), or Certificate of Confirmation (Scotland) is required before CBS will release funds.
The assessment covers all CBS sole accounts combined. If the deceased held several savings accounts with CBS that together exceed £50,000, probate will be needed even if no single account reaches that level. Joint accounts are excluded from the calculation entirely.
Early payment for estate costs
Before probate is granted, CBS can release funds directly from the account to cover certain estate-related costs:
- Funeral expenses, memorial stones and plaques, and death notices
- Probate fees and letters of administration fees
- Court fees
- Inheritance tax payable to HMRC
To request early payment for inheritance tax, executors can use the IHT423 form, which allows CBS to pay HMRC directly from the account – useful when IHT must be paid before probate can be obtained.
For a fuller explanation of probate and when it is needed, see our guide to applying for probate.
How long it takes
There is no fixed timeline. The main variable is whether probate is required, and if so, how long that process takes.
| Stage | Typical timeframe |
|---|---|
| Sole accounts frozen | Immediately on notification |
| Joint accounts transferred to surviving holder | Within days of receiving death certificate |
| CBS letter with next steps and account details | 5–10 working days after notification |
| Sole account closure (under £50,000) | Weeks once all documents received |
| Sole account closure (over £50,000, probate required) | Months – depends on probate timeline |
CBS’s own processing, once they have the documents, is measured in weeks rather than months. The longer delays come from obtaining the Grant of Probate, particularly if inheritance tax is due, if the will is contested, or if the estate is complex.
If you are unsure whether the total CBS sole account balance exceeds £50,000, call the bereavement team – they can confirm the total balances held across all accounts in the deceased’s name.
Tips and things to watch out for
Check for both savings accounts and a mortgage. CBS is primarily known as a savings provider, but it also offers mortgages. If the deceased was a CBS mortgage holder, notify the bereavement team about it at the same time as reporting savings accounts – the team can handle both in a single call or form submission.
Ask about the inherited ISA allowance early. The Additional Allowance ISA available to a surviving spouse or civil partner is time-limited. The allowance must be used within three years of death (or 180 days after estate administration completes, if later). CBS will not raise this proactively during the bereavement process, so ask specifically if the deceased held a cash ISA with them.
All personal representatives may need to sign the closure form. If there are multiple executors named in the will, or multiple administrators, all of them may need to sign the account closure documentation. If one executor is abroad or difficult to reach, factor this in early – it is one of the more common causes of delay.
Do not send original documents by post if you can avoid it. CBS accepts copies of the death certificate. In branch, staff can copy it and return the original on the spot. If originals go missing in the post, obtaining a replacement from the General Register Office takes time and costs money.
Budget for the 5–10 day wait before CBS’s letter arrives. After notification, CBS needs time to pull together account information before writing to the personal representative. During this window, the accounts are frozen and no transactions can take place. Plan accordingly if direct debits are running on sole accounts.
CBS is a mutual building society. Accounts may not appear in tools designed to locate bank accounts. If you suspect the deceased held a CBS account but cannot find paperwork, search old post or email for correspondence from “Coventry Building Society” or “thecoventry.co.uk” – CBS occasionally used the latter address.
Summary
To notify Coventry Building Society of a death, call 0800 587 4565 (Monday–Friday, 8am–7pm; Saturday, 9am–2pm) or complete the online form at coventrybuildingsociety.co.uk/member/help/member-support/register-a-bereavement. Have the deceased’s name, date of birth, date of death, and any account numbers ready.
CBS will freeze sole accounts immediately and transfer joint accounts to the surviving holder on receipt of the death certificate. For sole accounts, a Grant of Probate is required if the combined sole balance exceeds £50,000; below that threshold, the account closure form alone is sufficient. Expect CBS’s letter with next steps within 5–10 working days of notification.
If you also need to notify other building societies, see our guides to notifying Yorkshire Building Society, notifying Skipton Building Society, notifying Leeds Building Society, and notifying Nationwide.
Sources: Coventry Building Society bereavement page (coventrybuildingsociety.co.uk, verified May 2026); CBS bereavement FAQs (coventrybuildingsociety.co.uk, verified May 2026); CBS Additional Allowance ISA (coventrybuildingsociety.co.uk, verified May 2026); HMCTS probate service (gov.uk); IHT423 form (gov.uk).