Dealing with a loved one’s mobile or broadband account is one of many practical tasks after a death. EE accounts – whether mobile, broadband, or both – will continue to bill until you make contact, so it is worth notifying them as soon as you feel ready. This guide covers how to reach EE’s bereavement team, what you will need, what happens to the contract and any device finance, and the things worth watching out for.
Quick reference:
- Phone (from any phone): 07973 100 150
- Phone (from an EE mobile): 150
- Online notification form: ee.co.uk/help/profile/manage/tell-us-someone-has-died
- Account options: close the account, or transfer it to another person
- Early termination fees: waived on bereavement (Ofcom requirement)
- Death certificate: have a copy available, but EE does not always require it
How to notify EE
EE offers two routes for bereavement notification: by phone or via an online form.
By phone
Call 07973 100 150 from any phone, or dial 150 from an EE mobile. EE has a specialist bereavement team who deal with these cases. When you get through, let the adviser know you are calling to notify them of the death of an account holder and that you would like to close or transfer the account.
You will need to confirm the deceased’s name, mobile or broadband number (or account number), and your own details and relationship. Have a recent EE bill to hand if you can find one – it will have the account number on it.
EE does not publish dedicated bereavement hours separately from its general customer service hours, so calling during standard business hours (Monday–Friday) is recommended for the best chance of reaching the specialist team promptly.
By online form
Visit ee.co.uk/help/profile/manage/tell-us-someone-has-died and select the account type that applies – mobile, broadband, or combined mobile and broadband. The form then steps you through the notification process.
The online form is useful if you prefer not to deal with it by phone, or if you are managing bereavement admin outside business hours. Once submitted, EE will contact you to confirm next steps.
Mobile and broadband: are they the same notification?
If the deceased had an EE mobile contract and EE broadband, these may be on the same account or on separate accounts. Use the combined option on the bereavement form, or tell the adviser by phone – they can check both. You should not need to make two separate notifications if both services are under the same account.
Source: EE bereavement notification page, last verified March 2026.
What documents you will need
EE’s documentation requirements are relatively straightforward compared to banks or pension providers.
| What you need | Notes |
|---|---|
| Deceased’s full name | As registered on the EE account |
| EE mobile number or account number | On any EE bill or the EE app |
| Date of death | Required for all notifications |
| Deceased’s date of birth and address | For identity verification |
| Your name and contact details | Phone number, email address, relationship to the deceased |
| Death certificate | Have a copy available – EE may ask for it in some cases |
EE has stated that a death certificate is not always required when notifying them of a bereavement. However, it is worth having a copy or photograph available in case the team needs to verify the death, particularly for accounts with outstanding balances or device finance agreements. Certified copies of the death certificate can be ordered from the register office for £11 each in England and Wales (source: gov.uk/order-copy-birth-death-marriage-certificate).
What happens to the account
Closing the account
Once EE processes the notification, billing will stop and the account will be closed. If the deceased was part-way through a fixed-term contract (typically 24 months), EE will cancel the account without charging an early termination fee. Under Ofcom’s rules for telecoms providers, you should not be charged a penalty fee when closing a deceased person’s account (source: Ofcom – notifying a provider of a customer’s death).
If there is a credit balance on the account – for example, if a direct debit was taken after the date of death – EE will arrange a refund to the estate. Any outstanding balance owed to EE at the time of death is a debt of the estate, not of the family member making the notification. You are not personally liable for the deceased’s EE bill.
Transferring the account
If another household member wants to keep the EE service running – particularly relevant for broadband accounts – EE can transfer the account into their name. This avoids service interruption and the delay of setting up a new broadband service. The new account holder will be placed on a new contract.
If you want to keep the deceased’s mobile number active (for estate administration or sentimental reasons), ask EE to transfer the number rather than cancel it. Once a number is cancelled, it cannot be recovered. You can also request a PAC (porting authorisation code) to move the number to a different network if preferred.
Early termination fees
Ofcom’s guidance is clear: telecoms providers should not charge a penalty fee when closing an account due to the death of the account holder. EE is bound by this. If you receive a final bill that includes an early termination charge, contact EE and ask the bereavement team to review it.
Handsets on device finance
Some EE customers pay for their handset on a separate finance agreement – often called an EE Device Plan – alongside their monthly airtime contract. These are two distinct agreements. In bereavement cases, EE will typically write off any outstanding balance on the device plan, but this is handled case by case. When you call or submit the form, ask specifically:
- Did the deceased have a separate device finance agreement?
- What is the outstanding balance?
- Will EE write it off, or does the estate need to settle it?
Do not assume the device finance is automatically written off without confirming this with the team.
How long does it take?
| Action | Timescale |
|---|---|
| Account closure or transfer | A few working days from notification |
| Billing stops | From the date EE processes the closure |
| Refund of overpaid amounts | After account closure – allow a few weeks |
| PAC code (to move the number) | Ask at time of notification |
For straightforward closures with no outstanding balance and no device finance, EE can typically process the closure within a few working days. Bills will continue to accrue until the closure is confirmed, so the sooner you notify EE, the less you may need to reclaim.
Tips and things to watch out for
Ask about device finance separately. Many EE customers have a handset on a Device Plan, which is a credit agreement separate from the monthly airtime contract. Ask the bereavement team specifically about any outstanding device finance balance, and get written confirmation of how it will be resolved.
Confirm ETF waiver. If the account has months remaining on a fixed-term contract, confirm with the adviser that no early termination fee will be applied. If they confirm by email or in a follow-up letter, keep it.
Get the PAC code before closing. If you want to keep the mobile number – on a different network or a different SIM – request the PAC code before instructing EE to close the account. You have 30 days to use a PAC code after it is issued, but once EE cancels the number it cannot be retrieved.
Bills continue until you notify EE. EE will not know about the death until you make contact. If a direct debit is active, it will continue to charge. Contact EE as soon as you can, and use the online form if phone lines are busy – it creates a dated record of your notification.
EE and BT are separate notifications. EE is owned by BT Group, but the two brands operate separate account systems. If the deceased had both an EE account and a BT account, you need to notify each one independently. Notifying BT’s bereavement team does not close or affect EE accounts, and vice versa. See our guide to BT bereavement for the BT process – the contact number and form are different.
Tell Us Once does not cover EE. The government’s Tell Us Once service notifies government departments in one step. It does not cover private telecoms companies – you need to notify EE directly.
Check for EE email addresses. Some EE broadband customers have an email address associated with their EE account. If the deceased used an EE email address, access will end when the account closes. Check whether there are any important emails or contacts that need to be saved before closure.
Summary
To notify EE of a death, call 07973 100 150 from any phone (or 150 from an EE mobile), or use the online form at ee.co.uk/help/profile/manage/tell-us-someone-has-died. Have the deceased’s name, EE number or account number, and the date of death ready. A death certificate copy is useful to have available.
EE will cancel the account without an early termination fee. If there is device finance outstanding, ask the team directly about that balance. One notification covers all EE services on the account – but if the deceased also had a BT account, that requires a separate notification to BT.
If you are also dealing with other telecoms accounts, our guides to O2 and Vodafone cover those processes. For a broader overview of how mobile contracts work after a death – including handset finance, phone number porting, and PAYG credit – see what happens to a phone contract when someone dies.