Sorting out a loved one’s mobile account is one of the smaller practical jobs after a death, but it still needs doing – Lebara does not find out automatically, and charges will keep being taken until someone tells them. Lebara is an independent mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) offering SIM-only and international calling plans in the UK, separate from the giffgaff/O2, SMARTY/Three, and iD Mobile/Three family of MVNOs. Lebara has its own dedicated bereavement contact route, reachable by phone.
This guide covers how to notify Lebara, what documents you need, what happens to the account, and the things worth knowing before you start – including why most Lebara customers will not face an early termination fee.
Quick reference
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Bereavement phone line | 5588 (free, from a Lebara handset) or 0207 031 0791 (from any mobile or landline) |
| Online | Contact form or online chat at lebara.co.uk |
| Documents needed | A copy of the death certificate; the deceased's Lebara number or account details |
| Early termination fee | Does not apply to Lebara's standard rolling monthly SIM-only plans |
| Who can notify Lebara | Next of kin, executor, administrator, trustee of the estate, or a solicitor acting for the estate |
How to notify Lebara
By phone (the direct route)
Lebara has a dedicated bereavement contact number. Call 5588 free of charge from the deceased’s Lebara handset, or 0207 031 0791 from any other mobile or landline if you do not have access to the Lebara SIM itself. This is the most direct way to speak to Lebara about closing or managing the account.
When you call, be ready to confirm the deceased’s Lebara mobile number or account details, and your own name and relationship to them – for example, next of kin, executor, administrator or trustee of the estate, or a solicitor acting on the estate’s behalf. Lebara has not published exact opening hours for this line, so if you cannot get through straight away, try again during UK office hours or use the online contact form below.
Online contact form or chat
If calling is not convenient, Lebara also offers a contact form and online chat through its help pages. Use these to explain that you are contacting Lebara about the death of an account holder, and ask to be directed to the bereavement team.
Using a death notification service
If you are notifying several companies at once, some UK-wide services such as Life Ledger let you register a death once and notify multiple participating organisations, which can include mobile networks. Check whether Lebara is a current partner before relying on this route, and contact Lebara directly if in doubt – see our what to do hub for more on managing multiple notifications at once.
What documents you will need
Lebara’s requirements are in line with other UK mobile networks and are lighter than what banks or pension providers typically ask for:
| Document | Notes |
|---|---|
| Death certificate | A copy is generally accepted; have it ready before you call or submit the form |
| Lebara mobile number or account reference | Check the SIM packaging, any Lebara texts or emails, or a recent bill |
| Your own details | Name, contact number, and your relationship to the deceased |
You do not need to be the formal executor of the estate to notify Lebara of a death, though Lebara – like other providers – will want to know who they are speaking to and your relationship to the account holder.
If the deceased topped up using a prepay plan rather than a monthly plan, there is usually no ongoing contract to cancel at all – any remaining credit simply stops being used. In that case, contacting Lebara is still worthwhile to confirm the account is formally closed and to check whether any remaining credit balance can be dealt with, but there is no direct debit or recurring charge to stop.
What happens to the account
Once Lebara has verified the death certificate, the bereavement team can close the account and stop further billing. Two points are worth understanding before you call:
Automatic payments are cancelled. Lebara will cancel any ongoing automatic payment method – such as a recurring card payment for a monthly plan – and close the account down to prevent further charges being taken. If the deceased had an auto-renewing plan, flagging this as a priority when you first make contact will help stop a further month being billed before the account closes.
Most Lebara plans have no fixed term, so there is normally no early termination fee. Lebara’s core offering is SIM-only and international calling plans sold on a rolling monthly basis rather than a fixed multi-year contract. Under Ofcom’s rules, providers must in any case close a deceased customer’s account without charging a penalty fee – but for Lebara customers on standard rolling plans, the question rarely arises in the first place, because there is no minimum term to break. If the deceased held a longer fixed-term Lebara contract or device plan, ask the bereavement team specifically about any early termination fee; Ofcom’s guidance is clear that providers should not charge one on bereavement.
Lebara has not published a specific policy on refunding unused credit or remaining plan allowance, so it is worth asking the bereavement team directly if there is a meaningful balance on the account.
Keeping the phone number
If a family member wants to keep the deceased’s number rather than let the account close, request a PAC (Porting Authorisation Code) before the account is closed, and use it to move the number to a new SIM – either a new Lebara account or a different network. Ask the bereavement team about this when you first make contact, since Lebara has not published a self-service PAC route specifically for bereaved family members in the way that a still-active account holder can text PAC to 65075. Once an account is closed, recovering the number is unlikely to be possible.
For general context on how number porting works across UK mobile providers after a death, see what happens to a phone contract when someone dies.
Probate and thresholds
Lebara accounts typically carry low balances – a monthly SIM plan cost, or a small amount of remaining credit – so they are very unlikely to require probate or a grant of representation before Lebara will act. Lebara has not published a specific probate threshold, unlike banks which typically require probate above £15,000–£50,000 depending on the institution. In practice, a death certificate and confirmation of your relationship to the deceased should be sufficient for Lebara to close the account.
This is worth flagging because families are sometimes surprised to be asked for probate documents by banks or pension providers, and brace for the same when contacting a mobile network. Mobile accounts sit at the opposite end of the estate-administration scale from a bank account or pension – the balances involved are small, and providers such as Lebara are set up to close an account quickly on production of a death certificate alone.
How long it takes
Lebara has not published a specific target timescale for bereavement account closures. Based on the nature of the process – a dedicated phone line and lightweight documentation requirements – closure should follow soon after the bereavement team has verified the death certificate and account details. If you have not heard back within a week or two of your call, follow up using the same phone number or the online contact form.
Tips and things to watch out for
Use the bereavement-specific number if you can. Calling 5588 from the Lebara handset, or 0207 031 0791 from any other phone, should route you more directly than Lebara’s general customer service channels.
Stop auto-renewal early. If the deceased’s plan renews automatically each month, ask the bereavement team to stop this as a priority – this avoids a further charge being taken before the account is fully closed.
Tell Us Once does not cover Lebara. The government’s Tell Us Once service notifies HMRC, the DWP, the DVLA and other public bodies, but it does not extend to mobile networks or other private companies. Lebara must be notified separately.
Keep a record of your contact. Note the date and time you called, and ask for confirmation once the account is closed, particularly if you cannot get a reference number over the phone.
If the deceased held accounts with other mobile networks, our guides to giffgaff, SMARTY, iD Mobile, O2, EE, Vodafone, and Three cover those processes in detail.
Summary
To notify Lebara of a death, call the bereavement team on 5588 from the deceased’s Lebara handset, or 0207 031 0791 from any other phone, with a copy of the death certificate and the account details to hand. Most Lebara plans are rolling monthly SIM-only deals, so there is normally no early termination fee to negotiate. If the account had auto-renewal switched on, ask the team to stop this promptly to avoid a further charge.
For a broader overview of what happens to mobile accounts after a death, see what happens to a phone contract when someone dies, and our complete guide to what to do when someone dies.
Information verified against publicly available reporting on Lebara’s bereavement contact process and Ofcom’s guidance on notifying a provider of a customer’s death. Lebara’s own help pages were not directly accessible at the time of writing (Cloudflare-protected, JavaScript-rendered); phone numbers and process details are corroborated across multiple independent sources. Last verified: July 2026.