Tesco’s bereavement administration spans three separate services – Tesco Bank (which now operates under Barclays), the Tesco Clubcard loyalty scheme, and Tesco Mobile – and each is run by a different team with its own phone number and its own process. Calling one does not notify the others: if the person who died had a Tesco Bank account, a Clubcard and a Tesco Mobile contract, you need three separate calls. This guide walks you through all three: who to call, what documents to have ready, what happens to accounts and points, and what to watch out for.
Quick reference:
- Tesco Bank bereavement: 0345 071 6153 (Monday–Friday, 8am–6pm)
- Tesco Clubcard: 0800 591 688 (Monday–Friday, 8am–8pm; Saturday, 9am–6pm)
- Tesco Mobile: 0345 301 4455 (or 4455 from a Tesco Mobile handset)
- Tesco Bank bereavement page: tescobank.com/help/bereavement-support
- Probate required if: Tesco Bank sole accounts total more than £50,000
Tesco Bank – credit cards, savings and loans
The Barclays transfer explained
In November 2024, Tesco Bank completed a sale of its retail banking business to Barclays. As of 1 November 2024, Tesco Bank credit cards, savings accounts, personal loans, and Clubcard Pay+ all transferred to Barclays Bank UK PLC, which now runs them under the Tesco Bank brand.
For bereavement purposes, this matters in one practical way: Tesco Bank and Barclays run separate bereavement teams, so notifying one does not notify the other, even though Barclays now owns both. (Source: Tesco – completion of sale to Barclays, November 2024.)
For day-to-day bereavement handling, you continue to use the Tesco Bank bereavement line and address below – the branding is unchanged.
How to notify Tesco Bank
Call the Tesco Bank Estates Team on 0345 071 6153, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. Hearing or speech impaired customers can use Relay UK; BSL users can access an interpreter via Connect2 Interpreters Live.
If you prefer to write, send documents to:
Freepost Tesco Bank Estates Team, PO Box 27009, Glasgow G2 9EZ
Note that only next of kin or a solicitor acting on their behalf can formally notify Tesco Bank of a death. If you are a close friend or more distant relative, you may need to establish your legal authority before they can act on your request.
What documents you’ll need
| Document | Notes |
|---|---|
| Death certificate | Original or certified copy; coroner’s interim certificate also accepted |
| Your own ID | Passport or driving licence |
| Authority to close form | Tesco Bank provides this – signed by all executors or next of kin |
| Copy of the will | If one exists |
| Grant of probate or letters of administration | Required if sole account balances exceed £50,000; in Scotland, a certificate of confirmation |
You do not need all documents before you make the first call. The Estates Team can take basic details and tell you exactly what they need from your specific situation.
What happens to each type of account
Credit cards
The account is frozen and the card blocked. Any interest or fees charged after the date of death are refunded. If there was an additional cardholder on the account, they will need to apply for a new credit card in their own name.
Savings accounts
The account is frozen and no further transactions can be made. Interest continues to accrue until the account is formally closed. For joint savings accounts, the surviving account holder retains access and the account remains open.
Loans
The account is frozen. Interest is charged only up to the date of death, not beyond it. An outstanding balance becomes a debt of the estate. For joint loans, the account remains open and repayments continue from the surviving account holder.
ISAs and Junior ISAs
The account is frozen and no further transactions are permitted. Interest continues until closure. If the deceased was married or in a civil partnership, a surviving spouse can apply to inherit the deceased’s ISA tax-free allowance using an Additional Permitted Subscription. Ask the Tesco Bank team about this when you call.
The £50,000 probate threshold
If the sole accounts held with Tesco Bank total more than £50,000, Tesco Bank will require a grant of probate (or letters of administration if there is no will) before releasing funds. Below that threshold, they may be able to release funds using a small estate process.
Source: Tesco Bank bereavement support page, last verified April 2026.
For context on how probate works and when it is legally required, see our guide to what happens to bank accounts when someone dies.
If you are also dealing with a Barclays account, the same £50,000 threshold applies there. See our Barclays bereavement guide for the full process.
Tesco Clubcard
The Clubcard is Tesco’s loyalty scheme. Points and vouchers are personal to the member but the terms and conditions do allow a family member to request a transfer to their own Clubcard after a death.
How to notify Tesco Clubcard
Call 0800 591 688 – this is a freephone number, open Monday to Friday 8am–8pm and Saturday 9am–6pm. This is Tesco’s general Clubcard customer service line rather than a dedicated bereavement number, but it handles account closures and point transfers after a death.
Have the following ready before you call:
- The deceased’s 16-digit Clubcard number (on the back of the card, or found on any Tesco Clubcard statement or voucher envelope)
- The deceased’s name and address
- Your own name and address, and your relationship to the deceased
- Evidence of the death and your entitlement to act – Tesco’s own guidance asks for a Grant of Probate or Grant of Representation showing you are a beneficiary of the estate, alongside a copy of the death certificate
- If you want points transferred: the name of the person the points should go to, and their Clubcard number (or confirmation they need a new Clubcard)
What happens to points and vouchers
Tesco’s Clubcard terms state that a relative of the deceased can request points or vouchers to be transferred to an existing Clubcard, or to a new one opened in their name. This is a discretionary transfer, not an automatic entitlement, but in practice Tesco’s customer service team handles these requests as a matter of course.
Unused Clubcard vouchers may be transferred alongside the points. Any money held in a Clubcard Christmas Savers account is part of the estate and should be claimed as part of the estate administration.
A single Clubcard point is worth 1 penny as a voucher, so 500 points equals £5. Converting vouchers with a Reward Partner (restaurants, cinemas, and similar) doubles their value – Tesco standardised this rate at 2x in June 2023, replacing the higher variable boosts some partners used to offer. So 500 points in vouchers becomes £10 of value with a Reward Partner. (Source: Tesco – Reward Partners voucher value change, June 2023.)
Tesco Mobile
Tesco Mobile is an MVNO (mobile virtual network operator) that runs on O2’s network. It offers pay monthly and pay-as-you-go contracts. Billing continues until you notify Tesco Mobile, so it is worth contacting them as soon as you feel ready.
How to notify Tesco Mobile
Call 0345 301 4455 from any phone, or dial 4455 from a Tesco Mobile handset. Business account holders should call 0345 601 2448 instead. The customer care team will guide you through the process. You can also contact them via webchat or social media (Facebook and X).
There is a dedicated bereavement page at tescomobile.com/help/managing-your-account/bereavement-or-death-of-an-account-holder.
What happens to the contract
When you notify Tesco Mobile of a death, the account is closed. Under Ofcom guidance, you should not be charged an early termination fee for cancelling a deceased person’s mobile contract, regardless of where it sits in the billing cycle. (Source: Ofcom – notifying a provider of a customer’s death.)
If there were multiple mobile numbers on the same account – for example, a family plan – the remaining numbers can be:
- Transferred to pay-as-you-go to maintain service without a credit check
- Moved to a new pay monthly plan, subject to a fresh credit check
If there is a credit balance on the account (from a direct debit taken after the date of death, for example), Tesco Mobile will refund the overpayment to the estate. Any outstanding balance owed to Tesco Mobile at the time of death is a debt of the estate and is settled during estate administration – family members are not personally liable.
For a broader overview of how phone contracts are handled after a death, see our guide to what happens to a phone contract when someone dies.
Documents you’ll need – overview
| Service | Documents required |
|---|---|
| Tesco Bank | Death certificate, your ID, authority to close form, copy of will, probate documents if accounts exceed £50,000 |
| Tesco Clubcard | Deceased’s 16-digit Clubcard number, name and address; name of person for points transfer |
| Tesco Mobile | Basic details (name, account number or phone number, date of death) |
Certified copies of the death certificate cost £12.50 each in England and Wales (source: gov.uk/order-copy-birth-death-marriage-certificate). If you are notifying multiple organisations simultaneously, ordering several certified copies from the register office at the outset saves time.
How long does it take?
Tesco Bank cases without probate typically resolve within two to four weeks once all documents are received. If the accounts are jointly held, the surviving holder can often be updated within a few days. Where probate is required, the grant itself takes an average of 16 weeks (source: gov.uk/applying-for-probate) before the bank can release funds.
Tesco Clubcard closures and point transfers are generally completed within a few weeks of contact.
Tesco Mobile accounts can typically be closed quickly once you call – often within a few working days.
Tips and things to watch out for
Call Tesco Bank first. Of the three services, Tesco Bank requires the most paperwork and has the longest timeline. Start there, then handle Clubcard and Mobile once that process is underway.
Keep billing under control. Tesco Mobile direct debits will continue until you notify them. Check bank statements to see what is coming out, and contact Mobile as soon as you can to stop ongoing charges.
The Barclays connection means two calls, not one. Tesco Bank is now legally part of Barclays, but the two brands run separate bereavement teams. If the person who died also held a Barclays account, you need to notify Barclays separately – see our Barclays bereavement guide.
Joint accounts. For Tesco Bank joint accounts – whether savings or loans – the surviving account holder is not affected by the notification. The account remains open. Only sole accounts are frozen.
Points have real value. Do not ignore the Clubcard step. Accumulated points can represent meaningful money, particularly if the deceased shopped at Tesco regularly over many years. A call to 0800 591 688 takes ten minutes and ensures those points are not simply forfeited.
The Death Notification Service. If the deceased held accounts at multiple banks, the Death Notification Service lets you notify several at once – check the live member list on the DNS site to see whether Tesco Bank (now part of Barclays) is currently included. It does not cover Tesco Clubcard or Tesco Mobile – each of those still requires a separate call.
Quick reference summary
| Service | Phone | Online |
|---|---|---|
| Tesco Bank Estates Team | 0345 071 6153 (Mon–Fri, 8am–6pm) | tescobank.com/help/bereavement-support |
| Tesco Clubcard | 0800 591 688 (Mon–Fri 8am–8pm, Sat 9am–6pm) | Phone only |
| Tesco Mobile | 0345 301 4455 | tescomobile.com – bereavement page |
Have ready:
- Death certificate (certified copy)
- Your own ID
- Deceased’s Clubcard number (16 digits), if applicable
- Deceased’s Tesco Mobile phone number or account number, if applicable
The Tesco Bank Estates Team can be reached by post at: Freepost Tesco Bank Estates Team, PO Box 27009, Glasgow G2 9EZ.
If you were married to or in a civil partnership with the person who died, you may also be entitled to Bereavement Support Payment – a tax-free government benefit worth up to £9,800. It must be claimed within three months to receive the full amount.
For other major retailer loyalty accounts, see our guides on how to notify Boots when someone dies (Advantage Card, Opticians, Hearingcare), how to notify Argos when someone dies (Argos Pay credit account and Nectar points), how to notify Sainsbury’s when someone dies (Nectar loyalty, Sainsbury’s Bank, and grocery accounts), how to notify Asda when someone dies (Asda Rewards, grocery account, Asda Mobile, and Asda Money credit card), and how to notify Morrisons when someone dies (More Card points, online grocery account, and Delivery Pass).