Dealing with a loved one’s bank accounts after a bereavement is one of the more pressing practicalities – other organisations often ask whether the bank has been notified, and the account needs to be secured as soon as possible. Metro Bank has a specialist bereavement team you can reach by phone, email, in person at one of their stores, or by post. This guide walks you through the process step by step: the right contact details, what documents to have ready, what happens to sole and joint accounts, and what Metro Bank’s probate threshold means for you.
Quick reference:
- Phone: 0345 08 08 500 (Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm)
- Email: bereavement.services@metrobank.plc.uk (replies within 3 working days)
- In-store: Yes – Metro Bank has branches across England. You can notify them in person.
- Probate required if: sole account balance exceeds £25,000
- DEIF required for: sole accounts between £5,000.01 and £25,000
Source: Metro Bank bereavement services, last verified March 2026.
How to notify Metro Bank of a death
Metro Bank offers four ways to notify them of a bereavement: phone, email, in person at a store, or by post. Unlike many challenger banks, Metro Bank has physical branches – which can be reassuring at a difficult time if you prefer a face-to-face conversation.
| Method | Details |
|---|---|
| Phone | 0345 08 08 500 – ask for the bereavement team. Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm. |
| bereavement.services@metrobank.plc.uk – replies within 3 working days | |
| In-store | Visit any Metro Bank branch. No appointment is required to report a death, though complex cases may need follow-up. |
| Post | Metro Bank, One Southampton Row, London WC1B 5HA |
You do not need all your documents before you make contact. Metro Bank will take the basic details first – the deceased’s name, date of birth, and date of death – and then guide you through what to send next. Starting early is always sensible: accounts can then be secured and direct debits flagged without delay.
Bereavement Notification Form
Metro Bank uses a Bereavement Notification Form (BNF), which provides details of the bereavement and helps their team locate all accounts held by the deceased. You can download this from the Metro Bank website, collect it from a store, or ask them to send one to you. Once completed, you can return it by email (as a scanned copy), by post, or by handing it in at a branch.
Using the Death Notification Service
The Death Notification Service (deathnotificationservice.co.uk) is a free UK banking industry service that lets you notify multiple financial institutions through a single online form. It is a useful first step if the deceased banked with several institutions. However, it handles the initial notification only – you will still need to deal with Metro Bank directly to close accounts, complete the BNF, and receive any funds. Check whether Metro Bank is currently a member of the service before using it as your sole notification route.
What documents you’ll need
Metro Bank requires different documents depending on the account balance. You will need to provide these in stages – not all at once.
| Document | When it’s needed |
|---|---|
| Bereavement Notification Form (BNF) | All cases – Metro Bank will provide this |
| Death certificate (original or certified copy) | All cases |
| Proof of your identity (passport or driving licence) | All cases |
| Original Will (if one exists) | All cases where a Will is present |
| Deceased Estates Indemnity Form (DEIF) | Sole account balance between £5,000.01 and £25,000 |
| Grant of probate or letters of administration | Sole account balance above £25,000 |
Source: Metro Bank bereavement page, last verified March 2026.
Death certificates: Certified copies are accepted. If you are notifying several organisations at the same time, it is worth ordering a handful from the register office – each certified copy costs £11 in England and Wales (source: gov.uk). Original documents returned by post are sent by recorded delivery as standard.
If there is no Will: The process is the same – Metro Bank will ask you to obtain letters of administration rather than a grant of probate. This is the equivalent legal authority when someone dies intestate (without a Will). The application process is through the same Probate Registry.
Safe deposit boxes: If the deceased held a safe deposit box at Metro Bank, a grant of probate is required to access it (with some exceptions for joint boxes opened before November 2014). The box must be closed in-store; identify all executors or next of kin before attending the appointment.
What happens to the accounts
Sole accounts
When Metro Bank’s bereavement team is informed of the death, any accounts held solely in the deceased’s name will be secured. This means:
- Direct debits and standing orders are cancelled
- Cards are cancelled
- The balance is held while the estate is administered
If direct debits were covering shared household bills – utilities, insurance, subscriptions – those payments will stop. Contact each provider separately to set up new payment arrangements. This is important to do promptly, as some services (particularly insurance) can lapse without notice.
Any funds remaining after debts and estate expenses are settled will be paid to the executor or administrator of the estate, or directly to the beneficiaries once Metro Bank is satisfied with the documentation.
Joint accounts
Joint accounts are handled differently. The surviving account holder becomes the sole owner of the account and its balance automatically – no probate is needed for this. Metro Bank will update the account to the surviving holder’s name and the account will continue operating as before.
Existing direct debits and standing orders on joint accounts are not cancelled. If any payments were set up in the deceased’s name and need to change, the surviving holder should contact each company separately.
ISA accounts
Metro Bank’s cash ISA tax benefits cease on the date of death – the account forms part of the estate and is dealt with alongside other sole accounts.
If the deceased’s spouse or civil partner held an ISA with Metro Bank, they may be eligible for an Additional Permitted Subscription (APS) allowance – a one-off extra ISA allowance equal to the deceased’s ISA balance. However, Metro Bank no longer accepts new APS applications. If you want to use this allowance, you will need to transfer it to another ISA provider. Metro Bank will confirm the balance of the deceased’s ISA to support your application with the new provider, in line with HMRC rules.
Paying for the funeral
Metro Bank can arrange to pay funeral costs directly to the funeral director from the deceased’s account, even before the estate is formally settled, provided you supply the funeral invoice on headed paper. Alternatively, if you have already paid the funeral director personally, Metro Bank can reimburse you from the account. Speak to the bereavement team about this when you first make contact.
Probate and Metro Bank’s threshold
Metro Bank’s probate threshold is £25,000 – lower than many of the major high-street banks. This means the level at which the full grant of probate is required is reached more quickly.
The process breaks down as follows:
| Balance in sole accounts | What’s needed |
|---|---|
| Under £5,000 | Death certificate, BNF, and proof of ID only |
| £5,000.01 to £25,000 | Plus a Deceased Estates Indemnity Form (DEIF) |
| Over £25,000 | Plus a grant of probate (England and Wales) or certificate of confirmation (Scotland) |
Source: Metro Bank bereavement page, last verified March 2026.
These thresholds apply to the total balance across all sole accounts held at Metro Bank, not each account separately. If the deceased held a current account and a savings account at Metro Bank, the combined total determines which tier applies.
Joint accounts are not included in this calculation.
Applying for probate
If the sole account balance exceeds £25,000, you will need to apply for a grant of probate before Metro Bank can release the funds. The application is made through the Probate Registry at gov.uk/applying-for-probate. You can apply yourself (the fee is £300 for estates over £5,000, with additional copies at £1.50 each), or use a solicitor or specialist probate service.
The time probate takes varies. A straightforward application typically takes around 16 weeks in England and Wales, though complex estates can take considerably longer. For a full breakdown, see our guide to how long probate takes.
Metro Bank also provides a help page on probate with links to the relevant government guidance for England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
If there is no Will, you apply for letters of administration instead. The bank’s process is the same – they simply need the equivalent legal authority document.
How long does it take?
The timeline depends primarily on whether probate is required.
Without probate (sole accounts under £25,000, or joint accounts only): straightforward cases are typically resolved within 2–6 weeks from the point all documents have been received. Metro Bank replies to emails within 3 working days, so email contact is a reasonable way to track progress.
With probate: the main delay is the probate process itself, which runs independently of Metro Bank. Once Metro Bank receives the grant, they can release the funds – typically within a few weeks of receiving the completed documentation.
The most common cause of delay is incomplete documents. Having everything listed in the documents section ready before you make first contact speeds things up considerably. If you contact Metro Bank by email and have not heard back within 3 working days, follow up by phone on 0345 08 08 500.
Tips and things to watch out for
Metro Bank has physical stores – use them if it helps. Unlike fully digital banks, Metro Bank operates branches across England (primarily in London, the South East, and selected other cities). If you find paperwork and phone calls difficult during bereavement, visiting a branch in person is a genuinely practical option. Staff can take the Bereavement Notification Form from you and send documents on your behalf.
The probate threshold is lower than most high-street banks. At £25,000, Metro Bank’s threshold sits well below the £50,000 level offered by Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds, and Nationwide. If the deceased held significant savings at Metro Bank, start the probate process early – it runs in parallel with the bereavement notification, and there is nothing to gain from waiting.
Documents can be submitted three ways. Email (as scanned copies), post to One Southampton Row, or handed in at a branch. If posting originals, use recorded delivery and keep the tracking number.
Metro Bank no longer accepts APS for ISAs. If the deceased’s spouse or civil partner wants to use the inherited ISA allowance, they must apply with a different provider. Metro Bank will still supply the balance confirmation needed to make the APS application elsewhere.
Business accounts require additional steps. If the deceased was a sole trader or director of a business banking with Metro Bank, the bereavement team will need to see a Companies House notification of death and new director mandates signed in-store. Contact the bereavement team early if this applies.
Mortgage is handled separately. If the deceased had a Metro Bank mortgage, the bereavement team can be reached on 0203 824 4815 (Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm). This is a separate line from the main bereavement number. For more on what happens to a property after a death, see our guide to what happens to a house when someone dies.
Summary
To notify Metro Bank after a bereavement, call 0345 08 08 500 (Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm) or email bereavement.services@metrobank.plc.uk. You can also visit a Metro Bank store in person or write to Metro Bank, One Southampton Row, London WC1B 5HA.
Have the death certificate and your own photo ID ready. Metro Bank will send you the Bereavement Notification Form to complete. If sole accounts hold more than £25,000, a grant of probate will be required before funds can be released. For balances between £5,000 and £25,000, a Deceased Estates Indemnity Form (DEIF) is needed instead.
For a broader guide to how bank accounts are treated after a death in the UK – including joint accounts, the Death Notification Service, and what happens to direct debits – see what happens to a bank account when someone dies. For the full checklist of organisations to notify, see what to do when someone dies.