How to notify First Direct when someone dies

Notifying a bank after a bereavement is one of the more time-sensitive tasks. Sole accounts need to be frozen quickly, and several other organisations – including HMRC and pension providers – often wait to see that banks have been informed before they will act. This guide covers everything you need to notify First Direct: the phone number, what documents to have ready, what happens to accounts, and the key thing to know if the deceased also banked with HSBC.

Quick reference:

How to notify First Direct of a death

First Direct can be notified by phone or online. The online route is the faster option if you have documents ready to upload; calling is helpful if you want to speak to someone and talk through the situation first.

Phone: Call 0113 276 6669 – this is First Direct’s bereavement line, staffed by their Bereavement Support Team. Lines are open Monday to Friday 8am to 10pm, and Saturday to Sunday 8am to 7pm. If you’re calling from outside the UK, use +44 113 234 5678.

Online: First Direct’s bereavement notification form is at firstdirect.com/help/life-events/bereavement. According to First Direct, “the quickest and easiest way of letting us know about a bereavement is by using our online form.” Once submitted, your details are passed to the Bereavement Support Team who will contact you to confirm next steps.

By post: You can also write to First Direct’s Bereavement Support Team at: 40 Wakefield Road, Leeds LS98 1FD. Posting original documents is not recommended unless you have certified copies – originals can be hard to replace if lost.

Death Notification Service: First Direct accepts notifications through the Death Notification Service (deathnotificationservice.co.uk), a free UK service that allows you to notify multiple financial institutions in one submission. This is worth using if the deceased held accounts at several banks. You will still need to deal with First Direct directly to close accounts and release funds.

What about HSBC accounts?

First Direct is a division of HSBC UK Bank plc, but the two banks run their bereavement processes separately – and the notification relationship is one-directional.

If you notify First Direct, they will share that notification with HSBC if the deceased held accounts there. First Direct’s FAQ confirms this: “we’ll share the notification with HSBC if any accounts are held with them.”

If you notify HSBC, that notification does not flow back to First Direct. HSBC does not automatically inform First Direct. If the deceased banked with both, you must contact First Direct directly – HSBC’s notification will not cover it.

See our HSBC bereavement guide for the full HSBC process.

What documents you’ll need

You do not need to have everything ready before you make contact. First Direct will accept an initial notification and guide you on what to send next. That said, having the following ready will speed up the process.

Proof of death – one of the following:

• Certified copy of the death certificate from the register office
• Interim death certificate (issued by a coroner while a full certificate is pending)
• Coroner’s certificate

For the estate:

• The will (if one exists)
• Grant of probate or letters of administration (required in some cases – see section below)

For the personal representative (if you don’t already bank with First Direct):

• Valid photo ID (passport or driving licence)
• Proof of address

Forms:

• First Direct’s Executor/Personal Representative Identity Form (downloadable from their bereavement page)
• Closure Authority Form (First Direct sends this once the estate is being wound up)

For funeral payment requests:

• A funeral invoice showing the beneficiary’s name, sort code, and account number

If you are managing bereavement across multiple organisations, ordering several certified copies of the death certificate at the outset will save time. Copies cost £11 in England and Wales (gov.uk), £8 in Scotland, and £15 in Northern Ireland.

What happens to the accounts

What First Direct does with accounts depends on whether they were held in the deceased’s name alone or jointly with someone else.

Sole accounts

Once First Direct is notified, sole accounts are frozen immediately. This means:

• All outgoing payments are stopped, including direct debits and standing orders
• No withdrawals can be made from the account
• Money can still be paid in
• Marketing communications are stopped

The stopping of direct debits is automatic and immediate. If any of those payments were covering household bills – utilities, broadband, council tax, insurance – you will need to contact those providers separately to set up new payment arrangements. It is worth checking which accounts direct debits came from before you call First Direct.

Once all required documents are received, First Direct will work through the estate and release funds to the personal representative or beneficiaries.

Joint accounts

Joint accounts are converted into sole accounts in the name of the surviving account holder. First Direct requires a death certificate to do this. Once converted, the account continues operating normally under the surviving holder’s name – the account number stays the same.

Unlike sole accounts, direct debits and standing orders on joint accounts are not automatically cancelled. Any payments set up in the deceased’s name may need to be updated with the relevant companies.

Overdrafts and debts

If the deceased had an overdraft or loan with First Direct, the outstanding balance is settled from the estate before any funds are distributed to beneficiaries. The personal representative (executor or administrator) is not personally liable for debts – but they are responsible for ensuring the estate settles them.

Funeral payments

First Direct can release funds to cover funeral costs directly from the deceased’s account, before the broader estate is settled. To request this, you will need to provide the death certificate and an invoice from the funeral director that includes the beneficiary name, sort code, and account number. This is useful if you are waiting for probate and need to pay the funeral director promptly.

Probate and when it applies

Probate (in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland) or confirmation (in Scotland) is the legal process that gives an executor or administrator authority to deal with an estate. First Direct requires it in some cases.

Unlike some banks, First Direct does not publish a fixed probate threshold. Their FAQ states: “Every case is different and probate is not always necessary to manage the accounts of someone who’s passed away.” The Bereavement Support Team will tell you whether probate is needed once they have assessed the estate.

For context, HSBC – First Direct’s parent group – applies a £50,000 threshold for sole accounts (probate typically required above that figure). First Direct may take a similar approach in practice, but this is not confirmed in their published guidance.

Where probate is required, you will need one of the following:

• Grant of probate (where there is a will)
• Letters of administration (where there is no will)
• Certificate of confirmation (in Scotland)

Joint accounts are not affected by probate requirements – they pass automatically to the surviving account holder regardless of value.

Inheritance tax payments before probate: First Direct notes that “it may be possible for us to pay inheritance tax before a grant of probate or letters of administration are issued” – up to the balance held in the account. This requires an IHT423 form from HMRC. More information on this is at gov.uk/valuing-estate-of-someone-who-died.

If you do need probate, you can apply through the government’s online service at gov.uk/applying-for-probate. For a full breakdown of what affects timelines, see our guide to how long probate takes.

To understand what happens to bank accounts more broadly during bereavement, see our guide to what happens to bank accounts when someone dies.

How long it takes

First Direct gives a guide of from 10 working days for straightforward cases, once all required documents have been received.

That timeline can extend if:

• Probate is required – the probate process itself takes an average of 16 weeks in England and Wales (gov.uk), though this varies significantly depending on the estate’s complexity
• Documents are incomplete or there is a dispute over the will
• The estate includes assets or debts that require more detailed assessment

Providing complete documents from the outset is the most effective way to avoid delays. There is no advantage to waiting before making the initial notification – contacting First Direct early starts the clock and gives you time to gather remaining documents.

Tips and things to watch out for

The HSBC asymmetry – read this if the deceased banked with both

This is one of the most practically useful things to know if you are dealing with both First Direct and HSBC accounts. The notification relationship between the two banks runs in only one direction:

• Notify First Direct → First Direct shares the notification with HSBC automatically
• Notify HSBC → HSBC does not notify First Direct

If the deceased banked with HSBC only, you only need to contact HSBC. If they banked with First Direct only, contact First Direct. If they banked with both, contact First Direct – and First Direct will pass that notification to HSBC. Do not assume that contacting HSBC will be sufficient if there are First Direct accounts. See our HSBC guide for HSBC’s full process.

Direct debits stop as soon as sole accounts are frozen. Any bills coming from a sole account – utilities, council tax, insurance, broadband – will go unpaid from the moment of notification. Before calling, check which direct debits are set up on which accounts, and arrange alternative payment methods for essential bills.

You can start without all the documents. First Direct accepts an initial notification and will let you know what they need. There is no reason to wait until you have everything before making contact.

Funeral costs can be paid directly. If you are waiting for probate and need to pay the funeral director, First Direct can release funds from the deceased’s account for this purpose once they have the death certificate and a valid invoice.

My Lost Account. If you are unsure whether the deceased had other accounts, mylostaccount.org.uk is a free service that searches across UK banks and building societies.

Summary

To notify First Direct after a bereavement, call 0113 276 6669 (Mon–Fri 8am–10pm, Sat–Sun 8am–7pm) or use the online form at firstdirect.com/help/life-events/bereavement. You do not need all documents before making contact – start the notification and gather documents as you go.

Sole accounts are frozen immediately; joint accounts transfer to the surviving holder. Probate requirements are assessed case by case. For simple cases, First Direct aims to release funds from 10 working days after receiving documents. If the deceased also banked with HSBC, notify First Direct – they will pass that notification to HSBC automatically. The reverse does not apply: notifying HSBC alone will not cover First Direct accounts.

See our full what-to-do hub for guides to other banks and organisations.