TSB bereavement: phone, email or DocuSign – no branch visit needed

Dealing with a loved one’s bank accounts is one of the first practical tasks after a death – and for most families, it needs to happen fairly quickly. TSB has a dedicated bereavement team and several ways to get in touch, including DocuSign online forms if you would rather not call. This guide walks you through the full process: the right phone number, what documents to have ready, what happens to different types of account, and when you are likely to need probate.

Quick reference:

• Phone: 0345 835 7834 (Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm)
• Email: ESUCustomerCare@tsb.co.uk
• Online: tsb.co.uk – bereavement support
• In branch: any TSB branch
• Post: TSB Bereavement Team, PO Box 453, Mitcheldean, GL14 9LR
• Mortgages: 0345 835 5404 (Monday–Friday, 8am–7:30pm; Saturday, 8am–12:30pm)
• Loans, overdrafts, credit cards: 0345 609 9283 (Monday–Friday, 9am–6pm; Saturday, 9am–1pm)

TSB is not part of Lloyds Banking Group. TSB separated from Lloyds in 2013 and was acquired by Banco Sabadell in 2015. Notifying TSB does not update Lloyds, Halifax, or Bank of Scotland.

How to notify TSB of a death

TSB offers five ways to make the initial notification: by phone, online, by email, in branch, or by post. You do not need every document before you start – TSB can take initial details and follow up on paperwork separately.

By phone – Call 0345 835 7834 to reach TSB’s specialist bereavement team. Lines are open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. This is the fastest way to speak to someone, and if you have questions about a specific account or want to discuss next steps, it is usually easier than navigating forms.

Online (DocuSign) – TSB uses DocuSign forms rather than a standard web form. There are three separate forms depending on your role:

• Non-customers notifying TSB (you do not hold a TSB account yourself)
• TSB customers notifying TSB (may include a Government ID verification step)
• Legal representatives – solicitors or executors acting formally on behalf of the estate

All three are accessible via the TSB bereavement page at tsb.co.uk. You will need a smartphone or tablet with a camera for the photo ID step in some cases, plus an email address and the ability to upload the death certificate as a scan or photograph. The DocuSign route eliminates postal delays and is now the fastest way to progress an estate remotely.

Video appointment – TSB offers video appointments seven days a week for those who prefer a face-to-face conversation but cannot attend a branch.

By email – ESUCustomerCare@tsb.co.uk is better suited to straightforward queries or follow-ups than the initial notification.

In branch – Any TSB branch can handle the notification. Take your death certificate and photo ID. Branch staff will take you through the process and escalate to the specialist team where needed.

By post – For those without digital access, a paper form can be submitted to: TSB Bereavement Team, PO Box 453, Mitcheldean, GL14 9LR.

The Death Notification Service

If the deceased held accounts at more than one bank, the Death Notification Service (deathnotificationservice.co.uk) is worth using. It is a free service that lets you notify TSB and multiple other participating banks in a single form – by phone on 0800 158 2227 or online. You will still need to deal with TSB directly to close accounts and transfer funds, but it handles the initial notification across all participating institutions at the same time.

Tell Us Once is different from the Death Notification Service. Tell Us Once is a government service that notifies HMRC, DWP, the DVLA, local councils, and other government departments. It does not notify banks. TSB must be contacted separately regardless of whether you have used Tell Us Once. See our guide to what to do when someone dies for the full picture of who needs telling.

What to tell TSB when you get in touch

For the initial contact, you will need:

• The deceased’s full name, date of birth, and address
• The date of death
• TSB account details if you have them (sort code, account number, or card number)
• Your name, your relationship to the deceased, and your contact details

What documents you will need

TSB requires two categories of document: proof of the death, and proof of your identity. Depending on the size of the estate, you may also need legal documents before funds can be released.

Proof of death:

• The original death certificate from the register office, or a certified copy
• An interim death certificate (issued by the coroner) is accepted in cases where the full certificate is delayed – for example, if there has been an inquest

Proof of identity:

• By phone or email: TSB will verify your identity using security questions
• Online or in branch: a current passport, UK/EU photocard driving licence, or two alternative documents (one ID, one address proof)
• If you are acting as a legal representative, TSB has a dedicated DocuSign form and will require evidence of your authority to act

Additional documents (where applicable):

You do not need everything before you start. TSB can accept partial documentation and follow up for the rest – particularly useful if you are waiting for a death certificate while a coroner’s inquest is under way.

What happens to TSB accounts

How TSB treats an account after a death depends on the account type and whether it was held in one name or two. Here is what to expect for each product type.

Sole current and savings accounts

When TSB is notified of a death, a sole account is secured immediately:

• The account is frozen – no money goes in or out
• Debit cards and cheque books are cancelled
• Standing orders and direct debits from the account stop

This is a protective measure. It prevents money leaving the account before the estate is properly administered and reduces the risk of fraud.

Direct debits and standing orders: Once a sole account is frozen, any direct debits set up from that account will fail. Organisations the deceased paid by direct debit – utilities, subscriptions, insurance – will need to be contacted separately. Most will be understanding, but alternative payment arrangements should be set up promptly to avoid disruption.

Releasing funds: TSB will release funds once legal authority is established. For estates below £25,000, a signed indemnity form alongside the death certificate is usually sufficient. For estates above £25,000, a grant of probate or letters of administration is required. Once TSB has all the documentation it needs, funds are typically released within 10 to 15 working days. For more on what happens to bank accounts when someone dies, including how debts are handled, see our dedicated guide.

Joint accounts

Joint accounts work differently. When one account holder dies, the account does not freeze. The surviving account holder retains full access and can continue to use the account as normal. The balance passes automatically to the survivor under the right of survivorship.

TSB should still be notified so the deceased’s name can be removed from the account and the records updated. The surviving account holder should call 0345 835 7834 or visit a branch with the death certificate. No probate is required for the joint account balance – only the death certificate and your own identification.

Joint accounts and inheritance tax: Even though a joint account passes automatically to the survivor, the deceased’s share must still be reported to HMRC on form IHT404. If the account passes to a spouse or civil partner, the spousal exemption applies and no inheritance tax is due on it.

If the joint account was held as tenants in common: This is rare for bank accounts but possible for savings. In this case, the deceased’s share does not pass automatically to the survivor – it falls into the estate and is distributed according to the will or intestacy rules. TSB’s bereavement team will advise if this applies.

ISAs

Individual Savings Accounts held by the deceased are treated differently from current accounts. TSB will close the ISA and include the balance in the estate.

Additional Permitted Subscription (APS) for spouses and civil partners: If the deceased was your spouse or civil partner, you are entitled to claim an APS allowance. This gives you an extra ISA subscription allowance equal to the value of the deceased’s ISA at the date of death – separate from your own standard £20,000 annual ISA allowance. You can put this APS into your own ISA with TSB or transfer it to another provider.

The APS must be claimed within three years of the date of death, or within 180 days of the completion of the estate administration, whichever is later. TSB’s bereavement team can provide the relevant forms and guidance. You must have been living together as a couple at the time of death to qualify; separation before death removes eligibility.

Credit cards

If the deceased held a TSB credit card, the outstanding balance becomes a debt of the estate. TSB will advise on the balance and the process for settling it. If the deceased was an additional cardholder on someone else’s TSB credit card, that additional card will be cancelled – but the primary cardholder’s account is not affected.

Mortgages

If the deceased had a TSB mortgage, contact the mortgage team on 0345 835 5404 (Monday–Friday, 8am–7:30pm; Saturday, 8am–12:30pm). The outcome depends on how the mortgage was held:

Sole mortgage: TSB will not expect mortgage payments for up to 12 months from the date of death while the estate is being administered. Any early repayment charges are waived for that 12-month period. The executor or estate administrator should contact TSB promptly to discuss options – including whether life insurance held alongside the mortgage covers the outstanding balance.

Joint mortgage – held as joint tenants: Ownership of the property transfers automatically to the surviving borrower. TSB will convert the mortgage into the survivor’s sole name. Early repayment charges are also waived following a death on joint mortgages.

Joint mortgage – held as tenants in common: The deceased’s share of the property does not automatically transfer to the surviving borrower. TSB will need to arrange an internal remortgage to move the mortgage into the surviving owner’s name, and the deceased’s share will be distributed according to the will or intestacy rules. This is more complex and usually requires probate.

For full guidance on what happens to a mortgage when someone dies, see our dedicated guide.

Loans and overdrafts

Outstanding TSB loan balances and overdrafts become debts of the estate. They must be repaid from estate funds before anything is distributed to beneficiaries. Contact 0345 609 9283 for these accounts. TSB will not chase you personally for these debts unless you were a joint borrower or guarantor.

TSB business accounts

If the deceased held a TSB business account – whether as a sole trader or as a director of a limited company – the process differs from personal accounts.

For sole traders, the business account is closely tied to the individual. TSB will typically need to close the account, but if the business is going to continue trading under a successor, a new account may need to be opened first. The executor should contact the bereavement team to discuss the specific situation.

For limited companies, the account does not automatically close on the death of a director. Companies House will need to be updated if the director was the only or sole director. TSB’s bereavement team can advise on what is required before the account can be dealt with.

Contact TSB’s bereavement team on 0345 835 7834 for all business account queries – the process is assessed case by case.

TSB home insurance

TSB home insurance is underwritten by Aviva. When TSB is notified of a death, TSB will inform Aviva if relevant. Correspondence about the policy will be redirected to the beneficiary or next of kin. Contact the bereavement team to confirm this has been done.

Digital banking and online account access after death

TSB freezes a deceased person’s online banking access as soon as the death is notified. This is a security measure to prevent unauthorised access to the account.

Executors cannot log in using the deceased’s credentials. Attempting to access a deceased person’s bank account using their login details – even as an executor – is against TSB’s terms and is inadvisable. Instead, executors should identify themselves through the official bereavement process.

How executors manage the estate digitally: TSB’s DocuSign forms allow the entire process to be handled online – uploading the death certificate, providing identity documents, and signing the relevant bereavement claim forms. The forms are sent by email and can be signed on a smartphone or tablet. Once all parties have signed, TSB begins processing the estate.

TSB does not offer a dedicated executor online banking login. Estate administration is handled through the bereavement team and DocuSign process, not through standard online banking.

Probate and when you will need it

Probate is the legal process that gives you authority to deal with a deceased person’s estate. In England and Wales, this produces a grant of probate (if there is a will) or letters of administration (if there is no will). In Scotland, the equivalent is confirmation, obtained from the Sheriff Court.

TSB’s probate threshold: £25,000

TSB requires a grant of probate before releasing funds if the total balance held across the deceased’s sole TSB accounts exceeds £25,000. This threshold is lower than many competitor banks – Nationwide and Halifax, for example, set their thresholds at £50,000.

If the total balance is below £25,000, TSB can release funds through a simplified small estates process using a signed indemnity form and death certificate – without requiring a formal grant. This typically takes 5 to 10 working days. Ask the bereavement team explicitly whether your situation qualifies.

Paying inheritance tax before probate (IHT423)

There is a practical problem with large estates: HMRC will not issue an IHT clearance certificate until inheritance tax is paid, but the Probate Registry will not issue a grant of probate until IHT is settled – and without a grant, bank funds are frozen. The IHT423 Direct Payment Scheme breaks this deadlock by allowing TSB to pay HMRC directly from the deceased’s account before probate is granted.

The five-step IHT423 process:

1. Complete form IHT400 – the main inheritance tax return, which values the estate and calculates what is due. This establishes the amount that needs to be paid.
2. Apply for an IHT reference number using form IHT422 – send this to HMRC at least three weeks before you need to make payment. HMRC will issue a reference number; without it, TSB cannot transfer funds.
3. Complete form IHT423 and send it directly to TSB’s bereavement team – not to HMRC. The form instructs TSB to transfer a specified amount to HMRC in settlement of the inheritance tax liability.
4. TSB transfers the funds to HMRC directly from the deceased’s account. The amount is deducted from the estate balance held at TSB.
5. HMRC confirms payment received – once HMRC acknowledges the payment, the Probate Registry can proceed to issue the grant.

If assets are held at multiple institutions (for example, both TSB and another bank), a separate IHT423 form must be submitted to each institution. TSB’s bereavement team can explain the process if IHT is likely to be due.

The Farewill partnership

TSB has a partnership with Farewill, an online estate administration and probate service. Farewill is available to executors and administrators dealing with TSB accounts in England and Wales and offers discounted services to TSB customers. You are not required to use it – you can apply for probate yourself through GOV.UK or use any solicitor of your choice.

How to obtain probate

If TSB does require probate, our guide to how long does probate take explains the process and typical timescales. Straightforward probate in England and Wales currently takes three to six months from application to grant, though the Probate Registry is subject to delays.

How long does the process take?

For straightforward cases – a sole account with a modest balance below £25,000, death certificate provided, no probate required – TSB typically releases funds within 10 to 15 working days of receiving all documentation. The full process from initial notification to fund transfer usually takes two to four weeks.

Where probate is required, the timeline extends significantly. Probate itself typically takes three to six months from application. Once the grant is received and submitted to TSB, processing generally takes a further 10 to 15 working days.

What causes delays:

• Waiting for a full death certificate (an interim certificate is available when an inquest is ongoing, but some stages require the full certificate)
• Probate Registry backlogs
• Complex estates – multiple accounts, overseas assets, or disputes about entitlement
• Missing documents – TSB will contact you if something is outstanding, and their one-week response window refers to this notification, not completion

TSB in Scotland: Confirmation, Sheriff Court, and what is different

In Scotland, the legal process that grants authority to deal with a deceased person’s estate is called Confirmation, not probate. It is obtained from the Sheriff Court rather than a Probate Registry, and the forms are different.

Registering the death in Scotland: The death must be registered within 8 days (compared with 5 days in England and Wales). You register at the local registrar’s office and will receive a death certificate (extract of an entry in the register of deaths) which TSB will accept in the same way as an English or Welsh death certificate.

Applying for Confirmation: To obtain Confirmation from the Sheriff Court, you complete form C1 (the Inventory of the estate) and, if required, form C5 for small estates. The Inventory lists every asset in the estate – including TSB accounts – with their values at the date of death. The Sheriff Clerk processes the application and, if satisfied, issues the Certificate of Confirmation.

Small estate process: For estates below approximately £36,000, the Sheriff Court offers a simplified small estate process that does not require a solicitor. The threshold is set by Scottish Ministers and applies to the total estate, not individual accounts. If the total TSB balance is below £25,000 and the overall estate qualifies as small, TSB may be able to act without Confirmation – contact the bereavement team to confirm.

TSB’s threshold in Scotland: TSB’s £25,000 probate threshold applies in Scotland as in the rest of the UK. For balances above this, TSB requires the Certificate of Confirmation (or a Certified Copy thereof) before releasing funds. The Certificate names each asset included in the Inventory, so the TSB account must be listed.

Tell Us Once in Scotland: Tell Us Once operates across Scotland in the same way as England and Wales – it notifies government departments but does not notify banks. TSB must be contacted separately regardless of whether you have used Tell Us Once.

The C5 form: Where the deceased’s assets are limited and the estate qualifies as small, form C5 can be used alongside C1 to seek Confirmation without a full solicitor-led process. Scottish Citizens Advice Bureau offices can assist with the forms.

TSB and the Lloyds Banking Group question

A point of frequent confusion: TSB is not part of Lloyds Banking Group.

TSB was historically part of Lloyds. After the 2008 financial crisis, Lloyds TSB acquired HBOS and was required by the European Commission – as a condition of the government’s state aid – to sell off part of its business. TSB Bank was separated from Lloyds in September 2013 and floated on the London Stock Exchange in June 2014. In March 2015, Banco Sabadell, a Spanish bank, agreed to acquire TSB for £1.7 billion, completing the purchase in July 2015. TSB has operated as a fully independent bank ever since.

Why this matters: Notifying TSB of a death does not update Lloyds Bank, Halifax, Bank of Scotland, or any other Lloyds Banking Group company. Each institution must be contacted separately. If the deceased held accounts with more than one bank, the Death Notification Service (deathnotificationservice.co.uk) allows you to notify multiple participating institutions at once.

If you are unsure whether an old account was with TSB or Lloyds TSB (the pre-2013 combined entity), contact both banks. TSB can check its own records and will tell you if it holds an account in the deceased’s name.

Things to watch out for

The probate threshold is lower than you might expect. At £25,000, TSB’s threshold is meaningfully lower than Nationwide’s (£50,000) or Halifax’s (£50,000). If the deceased had a sizeable savings balance or used TSB as their main bank, probate may be required even for a relatively modest estate.

TSB uses DocuSign, not a standard web form. The online process requires a smartphone or tablet for ID verification in some cases. If the person dealing with the estate is not comfortable with this, calling or going in branch is simpler.

Joint accounts still need notifying. Even though a joint account is not frozen, TSB still needs to be told so that the deceased’s name is removed and the records updated. This is also important for the estate valuation – the account balance on the date of death may be needed for inheritance tax purposes.

The Farewill partnership is optional. TSB promotes Farewill on their bereavement pages. Farewill is a legitimate probate service, but you are not required to use it. You can apply for probate yourself through the GOV.UK Probate Registry or use any solicitor of your choice.

Keep a record of all contact. TSB will give you a reference or case number when you make the initial notification. Keep it. Every subsequent contact should reference this number to avoid repeating yourself and to track the case through the system.

Funeral costs can be paid directly. If you have a final funeral invoice and want TSB to pay the funeral director directly from the deceased’s account before the estate is fully administered, TSB can do this. Estimated bills are not accepted – only the final invoice from the funeral director on headed paper. This is useful if funeral costs would otherwise need to come out of your own pocket while probate is awaited.

If there is debt in the account. TSB will provide information about any outstanding loans, overdrafts, or credit card balances. These become debts of the estate and are settled before anything is distributed to beneficiaries. TSB will not chase you personally for these unless you were a joint borrower. For detailed guidance on what happens to bank accounts when someone dies, including how debt is handled, see our dedicated guide.

Tell Us Once does not cover banks. Tell Us Once notifies government departments only. You must contact TSB separately. See our guide to what to do when someone dies for the full checklist.

Summary

Notifying TSB after a death is straightforward once you know the right contact. The specialist bereavement team is available on 0345 835 7834 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm), or you can use the online DocuSign form, attend a video appointment, or visit any branch. TSB will freeze a sole account on notification, provide guidance on balances and debt, and release funds once legal authority is established.

TSB’s probate threshold is £25,000 – lower than many high-street banks. For estates below this figure, a simplified small estates process is available. For larger estates, probate will be required before funds are released.

TSB is not part of Lloyds Banking Group and does not share notification with Lloyds, Halifax, or Bank of Scotland. If the deceased held accounts at multiple banks, use the Death Notification Service to handle initial notifications in one step.

For the full picture of what needs doing after a death – banks, utilities, government departments, and more – see our guide to what to do when someone dies. For help with related banking questions, see also our guides on Halifax bereavement (£50,000 probate threshold, IHT423 Direct Payment Scheme, and Lloyds Group notification), Barclays bereavement, and HSBC bereavement. For broader guidance on how bank accounts work after a death – including how debts are handled, what happens to joint accounts, and a comparison of probate thresholds across major banks – see what happens to a bank account when someone dies.

Source: TSB – what to do when someone dies. Last verified June 2026.