Skipton Building Society is the UK’s second-largest building society by assets, with members across the UK holding savings accounts, ISAs, mortgages, and investment products. When a member dies, the accounts need to be notified to Skipton’s bereavement team: sole accounts are frozen to protect the estate, joint accounts pass to the surviving holder, and the process of releasing funds follows a tiered approach based on the total balance held. This guide explains each step – the phone number to call, which documents you will need, what happens to different account types, when probate is required, and what to expect in terms of timing.
Quick reference:
- Phone: 0345 266 1209 (Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm)
- Email: skiptondirect-bereavementnotification@skipton.co.uk
- Post: Bereavement team, Principal Office, The Bailey, Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 1DN
- Probate required if: sole account balances total £50,000 or more
How to notify Skipton Building Society of a death
Skipton does not currently participate in the Death Notification Service, so you will need to contact them directly. There are three ways to do this.
By phone – Call 0345 266 1209, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. This connects you to Skipton’s bereavement team, who are trained to handle these calls with care. Have the deceased’s full name, date of birth, home address, and date of death to hand. You do not need the death certificate before calling – Skipton will confirm what to send once they have registered the death and will write to you with account balances and required next steps.
By email – Send notification to skiptondirect-bereavementnotification@skipton.co.uk. This is useful if you prefer to notify in writing or if it is outside phone hours. For accounts with balances of £5,000 or under, Skipton can accept scanned copies of documents sent by email rather than originals.
By post – Write to: Bereavement team, Principal Office, The Bailey, Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 1DN. Include the deceased’s full name, date of birth, date of death, any account numbers you have to hand, and your own name, address, and relationship to the deceased.
Skipton will also accept notification in any branch, where staff can begin the process and provide the relevant forms.
What to have ready when you notify
At the point of initial notification, Skipton will need:
- The deceased’s full name, date of birth, and usual address
- The date of death
- Your full name, address, telephone number, and relationship to the deceased
- Any Skipton account numbers (helpful but not essential at first contact)
You do not need every document ready before making contact. Skipton will write to the personal representative confirming account balances and which documents are required to proceed.
What documents you will need
The documents required depend on the total balance held in sole accounts. Skipton uses a tiered approach:
| Balance in sole accounts | Documents required |
|---|---|
| £1,000 or under | Letter of Indemnity form (Skipton provides this) |
| £1,001 – £5,000 | Account Closure up to £5,000 form; direct relatives may not need a Statutory Declaration |
| £5,001 – £49,999 | Account Closure form plus Statutory Declaration administered by a solicitor, commissioner of oaths, or licensed conveyancer |
| £50,000 or more | Grant of Probate, Letters of Administration, or Certificate of Confirmation (Scotland) |
Always required:
- Original or certified copy of the death certificate, Coroner’s interim certificate, or a death certificate verification form administered by a solicitor
For any balance, the personal representative’s identity may also need to be verified. Skipton will confirm what is needed for the specific accounts.
Source: Skipton Building Society bereavement support page
What happens to savings accounts
Sole savings accounts
When Skipton is notified of a death, outgoing payments from the deceased’s sole savings accounts are frozen immediately. This protects the estate and prevents any further withdrawals. Interest continues to accrue on the balance until the account is closed.
The account cannot be accessed or closed until the relevant documentation has been submitted. For small balances, this can be resolved relatively quickly with a simple closure form. For larger balances, the process takes longer and may require probate (see section below).
Fixed-rate bonds – If the deceased held a fixed-rate bond, Skipton can close it early and pay out the accrued interest. Alternatively, it can remain in the deceased’s name until it matures naturally – the personal representative can then close it at maturity. Skipton will explain both options.
Funeral expenses and inheritance tax – Before the rest of the estate is released, Skipton can release funds for two specific purposes even before probate:
- Funeral expenses: Skipton can release funds directly to pay the funeral director once the death has been registered, provided you supply the funeral director’s invoice on headed paper.
- Inheritance tax: If HMRC requires a payment before probate is granted, Skipton can release the relevant amount using a completed HMRC IHT423 form and a Withdrawal Before Probate form. This prevents estates from being trapped in a cycle where probate requires inheritance tax to be paid, but inheritance tax cannot be paid without accessing estate funds.
Joint savings accounts
When one account holder dies, a joint savings account passes automatically to the surviving holder. This happens without the need for probate, regardless of the balance. The surviving holder retains full access to the account and needs only to submit the death certificate to have the account updated into their sole name.
What happens to ISAs
When a Skipton ISA holder dies, the tax-free wrapper on their ISA does not disappear immediately. The account continues to shelter the funds from income tax and capital gains tax during estate administration – for up to three years from the date of death, until the account is formally closed, or until 180 days after the estate administration is complete, whichever is later.
For the purposes of closing the account and releasing funds to the estate, ISAs are treated the same as other savings accounts: the balance is counted toward the probate threshold and the relevant documentation tier applies.
The Additional Permitted Subscription for surviving spouses
If the deceased held an ISA and was married or in a civil partnership, the surviving spouse or civil partner is entitled to an Additional Permitted Subscription (APS) allowance. This is a one-off allowance – separate from the normal annual ISA limit – equal to the value of the deceased’s ISA at the time of death.
The APS allowance means the surviving partner can move that same amount of money into their own ISA without it counting toward their annual subscription limit, preserving the tax-free status of those savings.
Skipton offers a dedicated account for this purpose: the Legacy Cash ISA. This account is available exclusively to surviving spouses and civil partners. Key features:
- Earns 2.05% AER variable, with interest paid annually on 5 April
- Minimum balance of £1; maximum of £1 million
- Easy access with no notice or penalties
- FSCS-protected up to £120,000
- Contributions must be made within three years of the date of death, or within 180 days of estate administration completing, whichever is later
To apply, download the Legacy Cash ISA application form from Skipton’s website, or call 0345 266 1209 to request a paper form by post. Applications can also be made in branch.
You can choose which date to use for calculating the APS allowance – the date of death, estate completion, or three years post-death. Once chosen, that date cannot be changed.
Source: Skipton Legacy Cash ISA page
What happens to mortgages
If the deceased held a Skipton mortgage, the outstanding balance does not disappear on death – it becomes a debt of the estate. What happens next depends on whether the mortgage was held in a sole name or jointly.
Sole borrowers
The mortgage becomes an estate liability and must be repaid in full. The most common routes are:
- Life insurance – if the deceased had a life insurance policy attached to the mortgage, the insurer pays the outstanding balance directly to Skipton
- Estate funds – the estate can repay the mortgage from other savings or assets
- Property sale – if the estate includes the mortgaged property, it can be sold to repay the debt
- Remortgage – a family member or beneficiary can apply for their own mortgage with Skipton (or another lender) to take over the property
Skipton’s guidance is explicit that monthly mortgage payments must continue to be made by the estate in the interim, to prevent arrears from accumulating. If the mortgage is not repaid within 12 months, Skipton may begin further recovery action. Contact the bereavement team as early as possible to discuss the options – Skipton can agree a plan to avoid this situation.
Joint borrowers (joint beneficial tenants)
In most joint mortgages, both parties are joint tenants. When one dies, their share passes automatically to the surviving borrower. Skipton can update the mortgage into the surviving borrower’s sole name on receipt of the death certificate alone – no Grant of Representation is needed in this situation.
Joint borrowers (tenants in common)
If the mortgage was held as tenants in common, the deceased’s share passes according to their Will or the rules of intestacy – not automatically to the surviving borrower. In this case, a Grant of Representation is required before the estate share can be transferred or the mortgage restructured.
If you are unsure whether the mortgage is held as joint tenants or tenants in common, check the property title at HM Land Registry or the original mortgage deed. Skipton’s bereavement team can also advise.
For further guidance on mortgages and death, see the what happens to a mortgage when someone dies guide.
Probate and when it is required
Probate is the legal process that grants someone the authority to deal with a deceased person’s estate. In England and Wales this is called a Grant of Probate (if the deceased left a Will) or Letters of Administration (if they did not). In Scotland, the equivalent is a Certificate of Confirmation.
Skipton requires a Grant of Representation when the total balance in sole accounts is £50,000 or more. If the total is below this threshold, they may be able to process the account closure without it – though this is subject to there being no other assets elsewhere that also require probate.
Below the threshold, Skipton uses its own forms:
- Under £5,000: Account Closure up to £5,000 form (with or without a Statutory Declaration depending on the relationship to the deceased)
- £5,001 to £49,999: Account Closure form plus a Statutory Declaration administered by a solicitor, commissioner of oaths, or licensed conveyancer
The £50,000 threshold applies only to balances held with Skipton. If the deceased also held funds with other institutions and those funds require probate, you will need to obtain a Grant of Representation regardless of the Skipton balance.
For a full explanation of the probate process, see the how to apply for probate guide. If you are unsure whether probate is needed, see do I need probate?
How long does it take
There is no single answer – the timeline depends on the complexity of the estate and whether probate is required.
Joint accounts can typically be transferred to the surviving holder within a few days of submitting the death certificate.
Sole accounts under £5,000 can often be closed and the balance paid to the estate within a few weeks of submitting the death certificate and the relevant form.
Sole accounts between £5,001 and £49,999 take longer because a Statutory Declaration needs to be prepared and administered by a solicitor or commissioner. Allow several weeks to a few months.
Sole accounts of £50,000 or more cannot be closed until probate is granted. The probate process itself typically takes four to eight months from application, though it can be longer in contested or complex estates. The account will remain open in the meantime, with interest continuing to accrue.
Skipton will write to the personal representative after initial notification to confirm account balances and the documentation required. That letter is a useful reference for planning the process.
Things to watch out for
Mortgage payments must not stop. This is the most time-sensitive issue on this list. If the deceased had a sole Skipton mortgage, the estate is responsible for maintaining monthly payments. Missed payments create arrears that can complicate the estate administration. Contact Skipton’s bereavement team as soon as possible to agree interim arrangements.
The Statutory Declaration is not the same as an affidavit. The Statutory Declaration that Skipton requires for accounts between £5,001 and £49,999 must be administered in person by a solicitor, licensed conveyancer, or commissioner of oaths. It cannot be done remotely by post. Solicitors typically charge £5–£15 for this service.
Fixed-rate bonds: decide before interest terms change. If the deceased had a fixed-rate bond, the interest rate may change at maturity. If you intend to close it early rather than wait for maturity, discuss this with Skipton’s bereavement team promptly.
The APS time limit is strict. The Legacy Cash ISA and APS allowance must be used within three years of the date of death (or 180 days after estate administration completes, if later). If you miss this window, the allowance is lost permanently. If you are a surviving spouse or civil partner, ask Skipton about the Legacy Cash ISA early in the process, even if you do not intend to use it immediately.
Scanned documents are accepted for smaller balances. For accounts under £5,000, Skipton will accept scanned copies of documents sent by email rather than originals or certified copies. This can save time if posting feels difficult during the early days of bereavement.
For guidance on what happens to savings accounts more broadly, see what happens to savings accounts when someone dies.
Summary: what to have ready
| What | Detail |
|---|---|
| Phone | 0345 266 1209 (Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm) |
| skiptondirect-bereavementnotification@skipton.co.uk | |
| Post | Bereavement team, The Bailey, Skipton, BD23 1DN |
| Death certificate | Always required – original, certified copy, or scanned copy (under £5,000) |
| Probate threshold | £50,000 in sole accounts |
| Joint accounts | Transferred to surviving holder on receipt of death certificate |
| Mortgage payments | Must continue from estate until resolved |
| ISA APS time limit | Three years from date of death or 180 days after estate completion |
For a complete checklist of who to notify after a death, return to the what to do after someone dies hub.
If you also need to notify other building societies, see our guides to notifying Coventry Building Society, notifying Yorkshire Building Society, notifying Leeds Building Society, and notifying Nationwide.
Sources: Skipton Building Society bereavement support page (skipton.co.uk, verified May 2026); Skipton Building Society notify us of a bereavement (skipton.co.uk, verified May 2026); Skipton Legacy Cash ISA (skipton.co.uk, verified May 2026); Death Notification Service (deathnotificationservice.co.uk); HMCTS probate service (gov.uk); IHT423 form (gov.uk).