Prudential is one of the UK’s most established names in pensions, life insurance, and annuities. If the person you’ve lost had a pension, a life policy, an investment bond, or an annuity in payment, you will need to contact Prudential directly – they will not be notified through any other channel.
One thing worth knowing from the start: Prudential’s UK and Europe business was demerged from Prudential plc in 2019 and became part of M&G plc. The brand continues as M&G Prudential, and the products are still administered under the Prudential name. If policy documents or correspondence say “Prudential,” you are in the right place – contact details and processes are the same. The website is at pru.co.uk and mandg.com/pru.
This guide covers how to make contact, what to bring, what happens to pensions and life insurance, and the things that catch families out.
Quick reference:
- Bereavement phone: 0800 000 000 (Monday–Friday, 8am–6pm)
- Online notification: mypru.pru.co.uk/onlinebereavement/intro
- Postal address: Prudential, Lancing, BN15 8GB
- Processing time: 4–8 weeks once all documents received
- Pension death benefits: paid at trustees’ discretion, generally outside the estate
How to notify Prudential
There are three ways to start the notification.
Online
Prudential’s online bereavement tool is at mypru.pru.co.uk/onlinebereavement/intro. Prudential estimates it takes around 10 minutes to complete. You can work through it at your own pace, and it is particularly useful when you are dealing with several organisations at once and want to do things in stages.
Before you start, have to hand any policy or plan numbers, the deceased’s date of birth, and the date of death. The form asks you to provide as much information as possible about all the products the deceased held with Prudential, including where they held more than one.
Note: If the policy number is in the format ABC1234567, this may indicate a defined benefit pension administered through a separate scheme. Prudential directs these to epa.towerswatson.com/accounts/pru-dbpensions – the scheme administrator will advise on next steps.
By phone
Call 0800 000 000 to reach the Prudential customer service and bereavement team. Lines are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. Calls to 0800 numbers are free from BT landlines; charges from mobile phones and other networks vary.
When you call, say “notify you of a death” and you will be passed to someone who can help. You do not need to have all your documents ready before calling – Prudential can log the notification and advise on what to gather next. For pension-specific enquiries, Prudential also has dedicated lines depending on the product type (Personal Pension Plan: 0345 640 2000; existing annuities: 0345 640 0000), but the main 0800 number is the simplest starting point for bereavement contact. Source: mandg.com/pru/customer/en-gb/existing-customers/contact-us/call-us.
By post
Write to: Prudential, Lancing, BN15 8GB. Include a certified copy of the death certificate (not the original), any policy or plan numbers you have, and your name and contact details. Post is the slowest route and is best used as a follow-up rather than for the initial notification.
Documents you will need
| Document | When needed |
|---|---|
| Death certificate (certified copy) | Always – for every product type |
| Policy or plan number | Helpful but not required to make the initial contact |
| Deceased’s full name, date of birth, and address | Always |
| Your name, contact details, and relationship | Always |
| Expression of wishes / nomination form | For pension claims – speeds up payment significantly |
| Grant of probate or letters of administration | Required for larger investment or non-trust life insurance claims |
| Trust deed | If life insurance was written in trust – accelerates payment |
It is worth ordering several certified copies of the death certificate when you register the death, since each financial organisation will need one. In England and Wales, certified copies cost £11 each from the register office – see gov.uk/order-copy-birth-death-marriage-certificate. In Scotland, the cost is £8.
If you have policy or plan correspondence, annual statements, or any letters from Prudential, collect these before contacting them. If you do not have any paperwork, Prudential can search their records using the deceased’s full name, date of birth, and last known address.
What happens to a pension
Pensions are where the rules are most different from what most people expect – and where the stakes are highest.
The pension sits outside the estate
A Prudential pension – whether a personal pension, a Retirement Account, or a workplace pension – does not automatically form part of the deceased’s estate. Prudential, acting as pension trustees, has discretion over who receives the death benefits. This means the pension fund will not go through probate in the normal sense, and it may not follow the terms of the will. This discretionary structure is intentional: it is what keeps pension assets outside the estate and, under current rules, outside inheritance tax.
Expression of wishes: guidance, not a legal instruction
When pension members set up their plan, they are typically invited to complete an expression of wishes (sometimes called a nomination of beneficiary form). This document tells the trustees who the member wanted to receive the pension money on their death. It is not legally binding – the trustees retain discretion – but Prudential, like most major UK providers, gives it significant weight. Where a valid, current expression of wishes is on file, payment to the nominated beneficiary is the norm. Source: withfarra.co.uk/guides/prudential-pension-death.
The discretionary structure is what keeps the funds outside the estate. Because it is the trustees who decide – not the will – the money does not require probate to release and is generally protected from creditors of the estate.
If no expression of wishes is on file, the trustees must investigate who the appropriate beneficiaries are. They will consider the deceased’s immediate family, dependants, and anyone else with a close connection. This takes longer. If you can find any pension-related paperwork or correspondence, share it when you contact Prudential.
Two-year rule for tax-free payment
If the deceased was under 75 at the time of death, pension death benefits can generally be paid free of income tax to the nominated beneficiary, provided Prudential is notified within two years of the date of death. If notification is delayed beyond that two-year window, the payment becomes subject to income tax at the recipient’s marginal rate regardless of the deceased’s age. This is a significant reason not to delay – notify Prudential as soon as you can.
If the deceased was 75 or older at death, all pension death benefit payments are subject to income tax at the beneficiary’s marginal rate, regardless of the two-year window. Source: gov.uk – tax on a private pension you inherit.
From 6 April 2026, pension death benefits are also tested against the deceased’s lump sum and death benefit allowance (currently £1,073,100). Benefits above this allowance are subject to income tax even for deaths under 75.
Inheritance tax and the 2027 change
Under current rules, pension death benefits that are paid at the trustees’ discretion generally fall outside the estate for inheritance tax purposes. This is one of the reasons pensions have been an efficient asset to pass between generations.
From 6 April 2027, this changes. The government has announced that unused pension funds and most death benefits will be included in the estate’s value for inheritance tax purposes. If the estate you are dealing with involves a person who died before that date, the current rules apply. For deaths on or after 6 April 2027, the position changes materially and it may be worth taking advice. Source: gov.uk – inheritance tax on unused pension funds and death benefits.
Death in service, deferred pensions, and pensions in payment
The process differs depending on the type of pension:
Death in service – if the deceased was still employed and the workplace pension was with Prudential, there may be a separate death in service lump sum. This is a benefit paid by the employer’s pension scheme, usually as a multiple of salary. Contact the deceased’s employer’s HR department to make a separate claim – it is handled differently from the pension fund itself.
Deferred pension – if the deceased had left employment but had not yet started taking their pension, the full fund value remains available to pass to beneficiaries. The expression of wishes form applies. Contact Prudential directly.
Pension in payment – if the deceased was already drawing their pension as regular income, the death benefit depends on the type of plan. Drawdown pensions allow any remaining fund to pass to beneficiaries. Annuities (see below) work differently – they may stop at death or continue under specific conditions.
For a broader explanation of how pensions pass on death, see what happens to a pension when someone dies.
What happens to life insurance and investments
Life insurance
When a Prudential life insurance policyholder dies, the policy pays a lump sum. Whether that money goes through probate depends on whether the policy was placed in a trust.
If the policy was written in trust: The payout goes directly to the trustees and can be distributed to beneficiaries without going through probate. This is faster and the money sits outside the estate for inheritance tax purposes. Check any policy documents for a trust deed, or ask Prudential when you contact them.
If the policy was not in trust: The payout forms part of the estate. Prudential will advise whether a grant of probate or letters of administration is required based on the value of the policy and the overall estate. For the process of applying for probate, see do I need probate?.
Call 0800 000 000 or use the online notification tool to start the life insurance claim. Prudential will issue guidance on what documentation to provide based on the specifics of the policy.
Annuities in payment
If the deceased was receiving income from a Prudential annuity, the position at death depends on the type of annuity:
- Single life annuity – payments stop at death. There are no further benefits, and no claim is needed (beyond notifying Prudential to stop payments).
- Joint life annuity – payments continue to the surviving partner at the agreed reduced rate. Contact Prudential to switch the annuity into the survivor’s name.
- Annuity with a guarantee period – if the deceased died within the guarantee period (for example, a 10-year guarantee), payments continue to the beneficiaries or estate for the remainder of the guaranteed term.
Check the policy documentation or ask Prudential directly what type of annuity was in place, as the terms vary. For the annuity team, call 0345 640 0000 (Monday–Friday, 8:30am–6pm). Source: mandg.com/pru contact page.
For a broader overview of life insurance claims, see what happens to life insurance when someone dies.
Investment bonds and other savings products
Investment bonds and savings products held with Prudential form part of the estate and are dealt with through the estate administration process. Prudential will advise whether a grant of probate is required based on the value of the holding.
Probate and thresholds
For pension death benefits, probate is generally not required – because benefits are paid at the trustees’ discretion and bypass the estate entirely. You can and should contact Prudential about pensions promptly, without waiting for probate to complete.
For life insurance not held in trust, and for investment products, Prudential will assess whether a grant of probate or letters of administration is required. This depends on the value of the holding and the overall estate position. Prudential will confirm their requirements after the initial notification. If the estate is straightforward and values are modest, Prudential may be able to release funds without a grant.
To understand whether probate is required for the estate overall, see do I need probate?.
In Scotland, the equivalent of a grant of probate is a certificate of confirmation from the Sheriff Court.
How long does it take?
Once Prudential has everything they need, their bereavement team will review the notification and contact you. The review period can vary depending on the complexity of the products involved.
Once a decision has been reached, payments are typically issued within 3 to 5 working days by bank transfer or cheque. Source: mandg.com/pru/customer/en-gb/existing-customers/bereavement-support/what-happens-next.
| Product | Typical timeline |
|---|---|
| Pension death benefits (expression of wishes on file) | 4–8 weeks once documents received |
| Pension death benefits (no expression of wishes) | Longer – trustees must investigate appropriate beneficiaries |
| Life insurance (policy in trust) | Faster – no probate; Prudential will advise specific timing |
| Life insurance (not in trust) | Depends on whether probate is required |
| Annuity | Payments stop or continue at death – notification is the key step |
| Investment bonds | Depends on probate requirements |
The most common cause of delay is incomplete documentation. Providing the death certificate and any expression of wishes paperwork as early as possible avoids unnecessary back-and-forth.
Things to watch out for
Update the expression of wishes when life changes. The expression of wishes form is not part of the will and is not automatically updated when circumstances change – divorce, remarriage, the birth of children, or the death of a named beneficiary. If the form is out of date, Prudential’s trustees will give it less weight and the process takes longer. Anyone with a Prudential pension should review and update their expression of wishes regularly.
The two-year tax-free window starts from notification, not death. For deaths under 75, the clock for tax-free pension payment runs from when Prudential is notified – not the date of death. Contacting Prudential promptly protects the tax position of the beneficiaries.
Joint life annuities need updating, not just notifying. If there is a joint annuity in payment, it does not automatically switch to the surviving partner. Contact Prudential’s annuity team (0345 640 0000) to have payments moved into the survivor’s name.
Policy documents that say “Prudential” are still valid. Following the 2019 demerger and rebrand to M&G Prudential, some customers receive correspondence from M&G and some from Prudential – depending on the product type and how recently it was reviewed. Documents that refer to “Prudential” have not expired or been transferred. The contact details above apply to both. If you are unsure, call 0800 000 000 and they will direct you.
You do not need everything before you call. Prudential can log the notification and advise on next steps with just the basic details – name, date of birth, and date of death. Documents can follow. There is no reason to wait until you have gathered everything.
Direct debits may continue. Premium payments on life insurance policies or pension contributions may continue to be collected from the deceased’s bank account after death if the notification is delayed. Contact both Prudential and the deceased’s bank promptly to stop payments and protect the estate.
Summary
Notify Prudential as soon as possible after a death – by phone (0800 000 000) or online at mypru.pru.co.uk/onlinebereavement/intro. You do not need all your documents ready to make the initial contact.
For pension death benefits, the expression of wishes form is the most important document to track down – it tells the trustees who the deceased wanted the money to go to and speeds up the process considerably. For deaths under 75, notifying Prudential within two years protects the tax-free status of the payment.
For life insurance, check whether the policy was written in trust – if it was, the payout can be released without probate. For annuities, confirm whether it is a single life, joint life, or guaranteed-term policy before assuming payments have simply stopped.
Sources
- Prudential bereavement notification – mandg.com/pru/customer/en-gb/existing-customers/bereavement-support/notify-us-of-a-death, verified May 2026
- Prudential what happens next – mandg.com/pru/customer/en-gb/existing-customers/bereavement-support/what-happens-next, verified May 2026
- Prudential contact numbers – mandg.com/pru/customer/en-gb/existing-customers/contact-us/call-us, verified May 2026
- Pension death benefit tax rules – gov.uk – tax on a private pension you inherit
- Inheritance tax on pension funds – gov.uk – inheritance tax on unused pension funds and death benefits
- Expression of wishes and trustee discretion – withfarra.co.uk/guides/prudential-pension-death, April 2026
- Probate application – gov.uk/applying-for-probate
- Death certificate ordering – gov.uk/order-copy-birth-death-marriage-certificate
If the deceased also held accounts with other pension or insurance providers, see our guides to notifying Standard Life, notifying Aviva, notifying Legal & General, notifying Royal London, and notifying Scottish Widows.