Monzo is one of the UK’s largest digital banks, with over nine million personal account holders. It has no branches, but it has a dedicated Life Events team reachable by phone, online form, or email, and it accepts notifications through Settld if you are dealing with several organisations at once.
This guide covers everything specific to Monzo: the phone number, probate threshold, what happens to Pots and Flex, how joint accounts are treated differently from sole accounts, what Tell Us Once and the Death Notification Service do and do not cover, FSCS protection, business accounts, and what to watch out for during the process.
Quick reference:
- Phone: 0800 802 1281 (free from UK mobiles and landlines)
- International: +44 203 872 0620
- Online form: monzo.com/bereavements
- Email: bereavements@monzo.com
- Probate required if: sole account balance exceeds £25,000
- Timeline: around 5 working days once all documents are received
- FSCS protection: £120,000 per person
Source: Monzo bereavement support, last verified June 2026.
How to notify Monzo of a death
Monzo offers three ways to notify them of a bereavement. Anyone can make the initial notification – you do not need to be the next of kin, the executor, or a solicitor to start the process.
Option 1: Online form (recommended) Fill in the form at monzo.com/bereavements. You’ll be asked for the deceased’s name, email address, phone number, and account number if you have it. You do not need all these details to start – share what you can and the team will work with you. Monzo will respond within 3 business days with confirmation and next steps.
Option 2: Phone Call 0800 802 1281 (free from UK mobiles and landlines). If you are calling from abroad, use +44 203 872 0620. Monzo’s Life Events team handles all bereavement calls. Calling is useful if you want to speak to someone directly or have questions about a specific situation – joint accounts, Monzo Flex debt, or business accounts, for example.
Option 3: Email Send details to bereavements@monzo.com. This works well if you prefer written communication or are managing multiple notifications simultaneously. Include the deceased’s full name, date of birth, and date of death in your first message.
Option 4: Via Settld Monzo can be notified through Settld (settld.care), a free service that lets you notify multiple banks and institutions in one process. This is useful if you are dealing with accounts at several organisations. Note that Monzo is not a member of the Death Notification Service – if you use that separate service, Monzo will not be included and you will still need to notify them via Settld or directly.
| Contact method | Details |
|---|---|
| Online form | monzo.com/bereavements |
| UK phone | 0800 802 1281 |
| International | +44 203 872 0620 |
| bereavements@monzo.com | |
| Via Settld | settld.care |
Source: Monzo bereavement support, last verified June 2026.
Once Monzo receives your notification, they will freeze the account and their Life Events team will confirm what documents are needed.
No branches – what that means in practice
Monzo is app-only, so there is no branch to visit and no in-person appointments. For most families this makes no practical difference – everything is handled digitally, and Monzo’s process is well-designed for remote completion.
One area that can cause confusion is identity verification. Monzo uses the smartphone app as a two-factor authentication device. If no one has access to the deceased’s phone or their login details, this will not prevent Monzo from processing the bereavement – but mention it when you make contact so the Life Events team knows not to send verification requests to the deceased’s device.
You should not attempt to log in to the deceased’s Monzo app or use their debit card after their death. Contact the Life Events team and they will handle everything without requiring app access.
Tell Us Once and the Death Notification Service: what they cover and what they don’t
Two services exist to help families notify multiple organisations at once after a death. Both have significant limitations that families frequently misunderstand.
Tell Us Once
Tell Us Once is a government service that lets you notify several public bodies simultaneously – HMRC, the DWP, the Passport Office, DVLA, and your local council. It is free to use and can be accessed at gov.uk/after-a-death. It saves considerable time for government notifications.
Tell Us Once does not include Monzo. Banks are private financial institutions and are outside the scope of the service. The government’s own guidance states explicitly that after using Tell Us Once, you will still need to contact “organisations like banks, mortgage providers, insurance providers” directly. Source: gov.uk, last verified June 2026.
This is one of the most common misunderstandings in estate administration. Many families assume Tell Us Once covers all financial accounts – it covers only government departments.
The Death Notification Service
The Death Notification Service (deathnotificationservice.co.uk) is a separate scheme run by a consortium of major banks and building societies, covering around 85% of the current account market. It allows a single notification to reach multiple participating financial institutions simultaneously.
Monzo is not a member of the Death Notification Service. If you use the DNS to notify the high-street banks, you will still need to notify Monzo separately – either through Settld, by phone, or via the online form.
For Monzo specifically, your notification options are: the online form at monzo.com/bereavements, phone, email, or through Settld (which does include Monzo in its multi-organisation process).
Documents you’ll need
The documents Monzo requires depend on the account balance. You do not need to have everything before making contact – notify Monzo first, and they will confirm exactly what to submit.
Proof of death:
- Death certificate (a clear scan or photo is accepted; the original is not required)
- If the certificate is not in English, a professional translation must be provided
Proof of your identity (one of the following):
- Passport
- Driving licence
- Other government-issued photo ID
Indemnity form: Required if the account balance is over £100. Monzo will send this form to you after notification. It can be completed by the next of kin, a third-party representative with the next of kin’s consent, or a solicitor. Source: Monzo balance transfer guidance, last verified June 2026.
Grant of probate or letters of administration: Required only if the account balance exceeds £25,000. If the deceased left a will, you’ll need the grant of probate. If they died intestate, you’ll need letters of administration.
| Account balance | Documents needed |
|---|---|
| Under £100 | Death certificate, proof of your ID, destination bank account details |
| £100–£25,000 | Death certificate, proof of your ID, completed indemnity form |
| Over £25,000 | Death certificate, proof of your ID, indemnity form, grant of probate or letters of administration |
If you need certified copies of the death certificate for multiple organisations, they cost £11 each in England and Wales – order them from the register office when you register the death. See gov.uk/order-copy-birth-death-marriage-certificate.
What happens to the account and Pots
Sole accounts
When Monzo receives notification of a death, they freeze the sole account. Direct debits, standing orders, and card payments stop. If any of those payments covered shared household bills – utilities, insurance, council tax – you’ll need to contact those providers and arrange alternative payment methods. Monzo’s freezing of the account is automatic on notification.
Any outstanding debt – loans, overdraft, or Flex balance – is recovered from the estate before the remaining funds are released.
Once Monzo has all the documents they need, the balance is transferred to a nominated account. The process takes around 5 working days from receipt of the complete documentation pack.
Monzo Pots
Pots are one of Monzo’s most-used features – customers typically hold several, named for different purposes (bills, holiday, emergency fund, and so on). A common question is whether Pots are treated as separate from the main account.
They are not. Savings Pots held by the deceased close automatically as part of the bereavement process. Any money held in Pots is returned to the main Monzo account and then released to the next of kin along with the rest of the account balance. You do not need to take any separate action for Pots – they are folded back into the account and handled as part of the overall closure.
The same applies to partner-bank savings Pots (where money is held with a Monzo partner savings provider, such as Oaknorth Bank). These are closed and the balance returned to the main account. Source: Monzo bereavement support, last verified June 2026.
Funeral cost payments
If you need to cover funeral costs before the estate is formally settled, Monzo can transfer money from the deceased’s account directly to a funeral director. This does not require waiting for the full administration process to complete.
To arrange this, you will need:
- The funeral director’s final invoice (Monzo does not accept estimates – only the confirmed final bill)
- The death certificate, if not already submitted
Ask the Life Events team about this specifically when you first make contact. It can ease significant cash-flow pressure during the period between the death and the estate being settled.
Monzo Plus and Monzo Premium
Monzo Plus (£5/month) and Monzo Premium (£15/month) are paid subscription plans that add features including higher-rate savings Pots, travel insurance, phone insurance, and a metal card. If the deceased held one of these plans, the subscription terminates as part of the account closure.
Monzo’s Life Events team corrects any recent automated subscription fees that were charged close to the date of death. You do not need to cancel the subscription separately – it is handled during the bereavement process.
Any insurance policies bundled with Monzo Plus or Premium – such as travel insurance or phone insurance – end when the account closes. If the deceased died abroad and had Monzo Premium travel insurance in force, the situation may be more complex. Contact the Life Events team early and ask them to flag this.
Monzo Flex
Monzo Flex is a buy now, pay later product that allows purchases to be spread across three or twelve monthly instalments. It is a credit facility – not a savings product – and any outstanding balance is a liability of the estate.
When the account holder dies, any remaining Flex balance must be repaid from estate funds before beneficiaries receive anything. This is the same principle as any other debt: personal debts do not transfer to family members but are settled from the estate.
If the estate has insufficient funds to cover the Flex balance, Monzo’s Life Events team will discuss the available options. Beneficiaries have no personal liability for the deceased’s Flex debt.
If the deceased made purchases on Flex that beneficiaries physically have (for example, a laptop or television), those items become estate assets and can be sold to help meet the debt. A solicitor or probate specialist can advise on the correct treatment.
Joint accounts
If the deceased held a joint Monzo account with another person, the process differs significantly from a sole account.
The joint account remains open after the death is notified, and the surviving account holder retains full access to the funds. Unlike Starling Bank, which closes the joint account on the death of either holder, Monzo converts the joint account to a sole account in the surviving holder’s name. The money is legally theirs.
Steps for the surviving joint account holder:
- Notify Monzo via the form, phone, or email so they can update the account to your name only
- Continue accessing the account as normal – access is not suspended
- Review any direct debits and standing orders. Those set up solely in the deceased’s name may need attention; anything running on the joint account remains active
- Move funds to your sole account at your own pace if you prefer
Joint account debt: Any debt owed on a joint account – a joint overdraft, for example – becomes the sole responsibility of the surviving account holder after the other holder dies. This is a legal consequence of joint account ownership, not a Monzo policy. If you are in this situation and the debt is a concern, contact Monzo’s Life Events team and ask to discuss options. Support resources are available at monzo.com/money-worries.
Joint accounts do not count towards the £25,000 probate threshold – that applies only to sole accounts. Source: Monzo – what happens to a joint account when someone dies, last verified June 2026.
FSCS protection
Monzo is a fully authorised UK bank, regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Eligible deposits at Monzo are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).
As of 1 December 2025, the FSCS protection limit increased to £120,000 per person, up from the previous £85,000 limit. This covers:
- Current account balance
- Regular Pots
- Savings Pots
- Cash ISAs
The £120,000 limit applies per person, per institution. For a joint account, each account holder has their own £120,000 protection – so a joint account can hold up to £240,000 with full FSCS coverage.
If the deceased held savings partner accounts (Pots held with a third-party bank such as Oaknorth), the FSCS protection for those funds may sit with the partner bank rather than Monzo. Ask the Life Events team to clarify which institution holds each savings Pot and what the FSCS position is. Source: Monzo FSCS protection, last verified June 2026.
Executor access
Executors and administrators are authorised to deal with estate assets on behalf of the estate. Monzo will release funds following instructions from:
- The next of kin
- The executor of probate
- An administrator (where there is no will)
- A solicitor acting on behalf of any of the above
Anyone can notify Monzo of the death, but only those with legal authority to deal with the estate can direct the release of funds. If you are acting as executor, mention this when you first make contact so the Life Events team can tailor the process to your situation.
You do not need the deceased’s app or login details at any stage. Monzo does not require access to the deceased’s device – all verification is handled through the documentation process.
Probate and the £25,000 threshold
Probate (or, in Scotland, confirmation) is the legal process that grants an executor authority to manage and distribute an estate. Monzo’s threshold for requiring probate documentation is £25,000.
If the sole account balance is £25,000 or less, Monzo can release funds without probate – using an indemnity form instead (for balances over £100).
If the sole account balance exceeds £25,000, you will need either:
- A grant of probate (if the deceased left a valid will and named an executor), or
- Letters of administration (if the deceased died without a will, or without naming a valid executor)
Monzo’s £25,000 threshold is higher than Starling (£10,000) and Revolut (£5,000), but lower than most high-street banks. Barclays, HSBC, Halifax, and Nationwide all set their thresholds at £50,000. Chase UK matches Monzo at £25,000.
This catches some families by surprise. A Monzo balance of £30,000 requires full probate even though the same balance at Barclays or HSBC would not. Check the approximate account balance as early as you can in the process.
Scotland: The Scottish equivalent of probate is confirmation, administered through the sheriff court. Monzo will accept Scottish confirmation in place of an English grant of probate.
Northern Ireland: The equivalent is a grant of probate from the Probate Office in Belfast, or letters of administration if there is no will.
If you need to apply for probate, you can do so yourself through gov.uk/applying-for-probate, or use a solicitor or probate specialist. The process typically takes 4–16 weeks from application to grant. Source: Monzo balance transfer guidance, last verified June 2026.
Business accounts
Sole trader accounts
Many self-employed people use a Monzo personal account or Monzo Business account for their trading income and expenses. A sole trader is not a separate legal entity – the business is the person. When a sole trader dies, their Monzo account is treated as a personal asset and follows the standard bereavement process.
The estate inherits both the assets (account balance) and the liabilities (any overdraft or debt). If the deceased had outstanding business invoices or payments due, these are matters for the estate. The executor or administrator should gather records of business income and expenses – Monzo’s transaction history can be exported, which may be useful for tax and accounting purposes. Contact the Life Events team to discuss access to that data.
Limited company accounts
Monzo Business accounts held by a limited company are company assets, not personal estate assets. The death of a sole director does not automatically mean the company account is frozen – but it may create a practical problem if the deceased was the only authorised signatory.
The company’s remaining directors or authorised signatories should contact Monzo to update the account authority. If the deceased was the sole director, the company may need to appoint a new director through Companies House before the account can be managed. A solicitor with corporate experience can advise on the correct procedure. Source: Monzo bereavement support, last verified June 2026.
How long does it take?
Once Monzo has all the documents they need, the balance transfer takes around 5 working days. Source: Monzo balance transfer guidance, last verified June 2026.
The main variable is how quickly paperwork can be gathered and submitted:
| Situation | Typical timeline |
|---|---|
| Under £100 balance – ID only needed | A few working days once ID provided |
| £100–£25,000 – indemnity form required | 5 working days once form and ID received |
| Over £25,000 – probate required | 5 working days after grant of probate received (probate itself typically takes 4–16 weeks) |
| Joint account – name update | A few working days after notification |
| Funeral director payment | Can be arranged promptly once final invoice submitted |
Monzo’s Life Events team will follow up if they need anything else and will keep you updated on progress. They aim to respond to initial notifications within 3 business days.
If you are managing multiple accounts across several institutions, notify all of them early – even before probate is granted. That way, the 5-working-day clock at each bank starts as soon as you submit the grant of probate, rather than running sequentially.
Comparing Monzo with other banks
The table below covers the key variables most families ask about when comparing their options.
| Bank | Probate threshold | Joint account treatment | Branches available |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starling | £10,000 | Closed on death | No |
| Revolut | £5,000 | N/A (no joint accounts) | No |
| Monzo | £25,000 | Converted to sole account | No |
| Chase UK | £25,000 | Closed on death | No |
| Halifax | £50,000 | Converted to sole account | Yes |
| Nationwide | £50,000 | Converted to sole account | Yes |
| Barclays | £50,000 | Converted to sole account | Yes |
If the deceased held accounts at multiple institutions, the probate requirements will vary by bank. Check each one individually – it is possible that some accounts require probate while others do not.
Things to watch out for
No branches means no in-person visits. Unlike NatWest, Halifax, or other high-street banks, there is no branch to walk into with a death certificate. Everything goes through the form, phone, or email. For most families this is straightforward; be aware of it if the next of kin is not comfortable with online processes.
Two-factor authentication on the app. Monzo uses the smartphone app as a verification device. If the deceased’s phone is unavailable, locked, or the login details are unknown, this does not prevent Monzo from processing the bereavement – but mention it when you first contact the team so they know not to send app verification requests to the deceased’s device.
The £25,000 probate threshold is lower than most high-street banks. A balance of £30,000 in a Monzo account requires full probate documentation even though the same balance at Barclays, HSBC, Halifax, or Nationwide would not. Check the approximate balance early so you can decide whether to begin the probate process alongside other estate tasks.
Funeral payments require the final invoice, not an estimate. Monzo can pay a funeral director directly from the account before the estate is settled, but only against the confirmed final bill. If you are in early discussions with a funeral home and only have an estimate, wait until the final figure is confirmed before requesting the payment.
Tell Us Once and the DNS do not cover Monzo. Both the government’s Tell Us Once service and the Death Notification Service exclude Monzo. You must notify Monzo separately – via the form at monzo.com/bereavements, by phone, by email, or through Settld.
Pots and subscriptions are not separate processes. Money held in Pots is not a separate estate – it is part of the same account. Monzo Plus and Monzo Premium subscriptions are cancelled automatically. Neither requires separate action from the family.
Outstanding Flex debt is the estate’s liability. Flex is a credit product, and any outstanding balance must be repaid from the estate before beneficiaries receive anything. Beneficiaries do not personally inherit the debt, but it is settled from estate assets first.
Accounts for under-16s. If the deceased was the adult account holder linked to a Monzo under-16 account, that account is closed as part of the bereavement process. Let the Life Events team know if this applies.
Settld can save time. If you are dealing with multiple organisations at once, Settld (settld.care) allows you to notify Monzo alongside other banks, insurers, and service providers in one process. It is free to use.
Related guides
For a broader overview of what happens to bank accounts when someone dies – including the difference between sole and joint accounts and how the notification process works in general – start there.
If the deceased held accounts at other digital banks, the processes are similar but the details – particularly probate thresholds and joint account treatment – differ. See our guides to Starling Bank, Revolut, Wise, and Zopa (savings and loans, rather than a current account). For a complete overview of everything you may need to do after a death, see what to do after a death.
For probate guidance, see how to apply for probate and how long probate takes.
Summary
To notify Monzo after a bereavement, use the form at monzo.com/bereavements, call 0800 802 1281, or email bereavements@monzo.com. Monzo’s probate threshold is £25,000 – lower than most traditional banks but higher than Starling or Revolut. Pots and subscriptions are handled automatically as part of the closure. Once Monzo has all the documents it needs, the balance transfer takes around 5 working days.
Note that neither Tell Us Once nor the Death Notification Service covers Monzo. Both must be used alongside a direct Monzo notification.
Key contacts:
- Form: monzo.com/bereavements
- Phone: 0800 802 1281 (free, UK)
- International: +44 203 872 0620
- Email: bereavements@monzo.com
- Via Settld: settld.care
What to have ready:
- Death certificate (scan or photo is fine)
- Your own photo ID
- Indemnity form (Monzo sends this – required for balances over £100)
- Grant of probate or letters of administration (only if balance exceeds £25,000)