Studio is a UK catalogue and online retailer selling fashion, home goods, and gifts – part of Frasers Group since 2022. Many Studio customers also held a Studio Pay credit account, though this product has since closed. If the person who died held a Studio retail account, a Studio Pay credit balance, or a Frasers Plus credit account, each requires a slightly different approach.
This guide explains how to handle each type of account and who to contact.
Quick reference:
- Studio retail account (general customer service): 0371 200 0378
- Former Studio Pay balance (now with Link Financial): 02920 808 655 – Mon–Thu 8am–6pm, Fri 8:30am–5pm, Sat 9am–2pm
- Former Studio Pay balance (now with Frasers Plus): 0344 245 9200
- Studio remediation team (specific credit queries): 0800 175 9611 or fsremediationteam@studio.co.uk
- Link Financial postal address: PO Box 107, Caerphilly, CF83 3GG
- Frasers Plus / Studio postal address: Church Bridge House, Henry Street, Accrington, BB5 4EE
Understanding what the deceased held with Studio
Before contacting anyone, it helps to know which products were in place:
Studio retail account – a standard online shopping account with no credit facility. Orders could be placed, delivery arranged, and refunds managed. No ongoing financial obligation.
Studio Pay – Studio’s regulated credit product, which allowed customers to spread payments on purchases. Studio Pay closed and all balances were moved to one of two providers: Link Financial Outsourcing Limited or Frasers Plus. The deceased will have received letters explaining which provider holds their balance. If you are unsure, search their paperwork or email inbox for correspondence from either organisation.
Frasers Plus – the replacement credit product for many Studio Pay customers. Balances transferred here remain regulated consumer credit under the same FCA authorisation (Frasers Group Financial Services Limited, FRN 311908).
If you cannot determine which provider holds the balance, contact Studio’s general customer service line and ask them to direct you.
How to notify Studio of the death
Step 1: The retail account
For the standard Studio.co.uk shopping account, contact Studio customer services directly:
- Phone: 0371 200 0378 (calls cost no more than calls to 01 or 02 numbers)
- When you call, tell the agent you are calling about a bereavement and need to close the deceased’s account
Explain that the account holder has died, and provide:
- Full name of the deceased
- Date of death
- Account username or email address, if known
- Your own name and relationship to the deceased
Studio will close the retail account and cancel any pending orders. If there are any outstanding refunds or credits on the account, ask what happens to these – in most cases they will be returned to the estate’s bank account or by cheque.
Studio does not appear to have a dedicated bereavement team or online form for retail account closures. The general customer service team handles these notifications.
Step 2: The credit balance – Link Financial or Frasers Plus
If the deceased had an outstanding Studio Pay balance, it will have been transferred to either Link Financial or Frasers Plus. You need to notify whichever organisation now holds the debt.
If the balance is with Link Financial:
Contact Link Financial Outsourcing Limited directly:
- Phone: 02920 808 655 – Mon–Thu 8am–6pm, Fri 8:30am–5pm, Sat 9am–2pm
- Email: mail@linkfinancial.co.uk
- Postal address: PO Box 107, Caerphilly, CF83 3GG
Inform them of the death and provide a copy of the death certificate. They will advise on next steps for the outstanding balance.
If the balance is with Frasers Plus:
Contact Frasers Plus:
- Phone: 0344 245 9200
- Postal address: Frasers Plus Financial Services Team, Express House, Clayton Business Park, Clayton-le-Moors, Lancashire, BB5 5JY
Frasers Plus is regulated by the FCA for consumer credit. On notification of a death, they should freeze interest on the account while the estate is being administered.
If you are unsure which provider holds the balance:
Contact Studio’s remediation team, which handles legacy Studio Pay queries:
- Phone: 0800 175 9611 (freephone)
- Email: fsremediationteam@studio.co.uk
What documents you’ll need
| Document | When needed |
|---|---|
| Death certificate (original or certified copy) | Always – both for the retail account and any credit balance |
| Deceased’s name, date of birth, account details | Always |
| Your own details as executor or next of kin | Always |
| Grant of probate or letters of administration | If there is an outstanding credit balance exceeding the provider’s probate threshold |
Most catalogue credit providers require grant of probate before formally settling or writing off balances above a certain level. Neither Link Financial nor Frasers Plus publish a specific probate threshold – when you call, ask them what they require given the size of the balance.
If the balance is small and the estate is straightforward, the provider may accept a statutory declaration or indemnity instead of grant of probate. This is worth asking about if obtaining probate would be disproportionately expensive.
What happens to the outstanding balance
Outstanding balances with Link Financial or Frasers Plus become a debt of the estate – they do not transfer to a spouse, partner, or family member unless that person was a named joint account holder.
On formal notification of the death:
- Interest should freeze (or be held in suspense) pending resolution
- No further purchases can be made on the account
- The provider will correspond with the executor or administrator about how the balance will be settled
If the estate cannot cover the outstanding balance in full, the executor can negotiate a settlement. Where the estate is insolvent (liabilities exceed assets), unsecured debts such as catalogue credit typically fall away – the family is not responsible for them.
If you are in financial difficulty managing the estate’s debts, the free debt advice services StepChange and National Debtline can provide guidance specifically on debt after death.
What happens to pending orders and refunds
If the deceased placed an order shortly before they died that has not yet been delivered, Studio’s customer service team can cancel it. Refunds for returned items or cancelled orders will be processed to the original payment method or by cheque to the estate.
Any loyalty credits or promotional vouchers in the account are unlikely to have cash value and will simply lapse when the account is closed.
Probate and thresholds
Studio Pay and its successors (Link Financial, Frasers Plus) are consumer credit providers, not banks. Their probate requirements differ from those of a bank account:
- For small outstanding balances, the provider may write off or settle the debt without requiring grant of probate, particularly if the estate is clearly solvent
- For larger balances, grant of probate (or letters of administration where there is no will) will typically be required before any formal debt settlement
If the deceased held no Studio credit balance – only a retail account – probate is not relevant to the Studio notification at all.
For general guidance on whether probate is needed, see our guide to when probate is required.
How long it takes
Closing the retail account is usually straightforward and can be done in a single phone call. Studio will confirm closure within a few days.
Resolving an outstanding credit balance takes longer. Expect:
- Initial acknowledgement: within 5–10 working days of contacting Link Financial or Frasers Plus
- Formal settlement: 4–12 weeks, depending on the size of the balance and whether grant of probate is required
- Probate-dependent cases: as long as the probate process takes – typically 3–6 months from application
Tips and things to watch out for
Know which credit provider holds the balance before you call. Studio Pay closed and balances split between two separate organisations. Calling the wrong one will cost you time. Check the deceased’s paperwork for letters from Link Financial or Frasers Plus.
Do not make payments to Studio Pay. The studiopaysupport.zendesk.com page explicitly warns: do not make any payments to Studio Pay. All balances have moved. Payments need to go to Link Financial or Frasers Plus.
Outstanding balances are debts of the estate, not the family. A spouse or family member is not personally liable for catalogue credit debt unless they were a named joint account holder. If anyone tells you otherwise, contact the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Keep records of everything. Note the date and time of calls, the name of the agent you spoke to, and any reference numbers given. Request written confirmation of account closure and any agreed settlement terms.
Consider Life Ledger. If you are notifying multiple organisations simultaneously, Life Ledger allows you to upload a death certificate once and notify many organisations in one process. Studio is listed as a supported organisation.
Summary
For the Studio retail account, call 0371 200 0378 and ask to close the account. For any outstanding credit balance, identify whether it transferred to Link Financial (02920 808 655) or Frasers Plus (0344 245 9200) and contact them directly with the death certificate. If you are unsure, call the Studio remediation team on 0800 175 9611.
Outstanding balances become debts of the estate – they are not inherited by family members. Notify promptly so interest is frozen while you administer the estate.
For more guidance on what to do after a death, see our complete what-to-do guide, or for information on related accounts, see our guides on what happens to credit card debt after a death and notifying Very and Littlewoods.
Sources: Studio Pay support page (Studio Pay closure and balance transfers); Link Financial contact details (Studio Pay support page); Frasers Group Financial Services FCA register (FRN 311908); National Debtline – debts after death.