When someone dies with a Wise account, you need to notify the company before any funds in the account can be released to the estate. Unlike a traditional bank, Wise has no phone line and no branches – notification is by email, and the company handles everything through its dedicated bereavement team.
This guide covers the full process: how to contact Wise, what documents are required, what happens to multi-currency balances, what to do about pending transfers and the Wise card, and the specific steps for Wise Business accounts. Because Wise is a global fintech platform – not a high-street bank – some parts of the process work differently from what you may be used to.
Quick reference:
- Email: bereavements@wise.com
- Help page: Wise – when someone with a Wise account dies
- No phone line – email is the only contact method
- No joint personal accounts – all Wise personal accounts are sole accounts
Source: Wise help centre – deceased account holder, last verified May 2026.
How to notify Wise of a death
Wise handles all bereavement notifications by email. There is no dedicated phone line and no branch network. The single point of contact is:
When you send your initial email, include:
- The deceased’s full legal name
- Their date of birth
- The email address linked to their Wise account (if known)
- Your full name, your relationship to the deceased, and your contact email
- A brief explanation of whether there is a will (testate) or no will (intestate)
You do not need to have all your documents ready before making contact. Send the initial email and Wise’s bereavement team will confirm what they need from you next.
Once Wise receives your notification, they will take steps to protect the account – stopping outgoing transactions and preventing further card use. Their priority from that point is to verify who has legal authority to act, and then to facilitate the release of any funds to the estate.
Who can report the death?
Wise will accept notification from:
- An executor named in the deceased’s will
- The legal next of kin (if there is no will)
- A solicitor, attorney, or notary acting on behalf of the executor or next of kin
- A public servant with an official appointment (court-appointed administrator, for example)
Wise is clear that it can only disclose account information to those legally entitled to it. If you are assisting a family member who is the executor but cannot manage the process themselves, you can help navigate the contact – but the documentation and formal communications should come from the person with legal authority.
Source: Wise – how we can help when someone dies, last verified May 2026.
What documents you will need
The documents required depend on whether the deceased left a will. Wise asks for scans or clear images – you do not need to send originals by post, and Wise advises against sending original documents as they may be destroyed on receipt in line with privacy regulations.
In all cases, you will need:
| Document | Notes |
|---|---|
| Death certificate | Scan or clear image of the official certificate; interim certificates are accepted if valid under local law |
| Your photo ID | Government-issued, both sides where applicable |
| Completed refund form | Wise will send you a region-specific form; it must be signed by all executors or next of kin |
If there is a will (testate):
- A copy of the will, including all pages
- Official proof of your executor appointment
If there is no will (intestate):
- Documents proving your relationship to the deceased under the rules of intestacy – for example, a birth certificate or marriage certificate
Probate and letters of administration
Wise may require a grant of probate or letters of administration depending on the succession law of the country where the deceased lived and the size of the estate. For UK estates, probate is required in roughly half of cases – typically where the estate is larger or includes property. Unlike some banks, Wise does not publish a fixed monetary threshold for when probate is required; the bereavement team will advise based on your specific circumstances.
If the deceased lived in the UK but the estate involves assets held internationally, Wise may also ask for an apostille certificate to legalise foreign documents. This is relatively unusual for straightforward UK estates, but worth knowing if the situation is complex.
If multiple executors share authority, they must either collectively grant power of attorney to one representative or all sign Wise’s authorisation form. The bereavement team will provide this form when you contact them.
For guidance on what probate involves, how to apply, and whether you need it, see our guide to probate.
Source: Wise – deceased customer report guidelines (testate and intestate), last verified May 2026.
What happens to the Wise account and multi-currency balances
Account freeze and sole accounts
All Wise personal accounts are sole accounts – Wise does not offer joint personal accounts. This means there is no surviving joint account holder with automatic access to the funds. Once Wise is notified of the death, the account is frozen, outgoing transactions stop, and the Wise card is deactivated.
The estate holds a claim on everything in the account. Wise will work with the executor or administrator to release the funds once the relevant documentation has been verified.
Multi-currency balances: what executors need to know
This is the area where Wise differs most significantly from a traditional UK bank. A Wise account can hold balances in more than 40 currencies simultaneously – GBP, EUR, USD, and dozens of others. Each currency balance is held in a separate “pocket” within the account.
All of those balances are assets of the estate, regardless of which currency they are held in. When you notify Wise, make sure to ask for a full account balance statement across all currencies. The total estate value for probate purposes should reflect the GBP equivalent of all currency holdings at the point of death.
Before releasing funds, Wise will settle any outstanding fees or negative balances across currencies. The remaining funds are then transferred to the account you specify. Wise may convert non-GBP balances to GBP before transfer, or release them in the original currency if you can receive it – confirm this with the bereavement team when you submit your documents, as it may affect the amount received.
The Wise card
The Wise Mastercard debit card linked to the account is deactivated as part of the account freeze. If there are any pending charges that came through on the card after the date of death, raise these with the bereavement team. Do not attempt to use the card after notifying Wise – any transactions after the account has been reported would be treated as unauthorised.
Tell Us Once and the Death Notification Service
Wise does not participate in Tell Us Once (the government service that notifies HMRC, the DVLA, and other departments) nor does it appear on the Death Notification Service operated by the banking industry. You will need to notify Wise directly at bereavements@wise.com. If you are using a third-party service such as Settld to manage multiple notifications, check whether Wise is currently on their list of supported institutions. For a full checklist of organisations to notify after a death, see our what to do after a death guide.
International transfers and pending transactions
Wise is used primarily for international money transfers. If the deceased had transfers in progress at the time of death, the situation depends on where those transfers were in the process:
Transfer already sent (funds left the account): In most cases, the transfer will complete normally – the money has already left Wise’s control and is en route to the recipient. Reversing a completed international transfer is rarely possible once the funds are in the receiving bank’s system.
Transfer still in progress at Wise (funds not yet sent): Contact the bereavement team as early as possible and explain that there is a pending transfer. Wise may be able to cancel it and return the funds to the account. The ability to do this depends on the transfer’s stage and the receiving country.
Recurring transfers (standing orders to overseas accounts): Any standing orders or scheduled recurring transfers will be cancelled when the account is frozen. If the deceased was sending regular international support payments – to a family member abroad, for example – those payments will stop. The estate has no obligation to continue them unless there is a legal arrangement in place.
If you are uncertain whether any transfers were in progress, ask Wise for a full transaction history as part of your initial email.
Wise Business accounts
If the deceased held a Wise Business account, the process is handled separately from a personal account and depends on the deceased’s role within the business.
If the deceased was a sole trader: The Wise Business account forms part of the business estate. Contact Wise’s support team and provide the death certificate and your legal authority to act. The funds will be treated as part of the estate, similar to a personal account. Note that business debts and personal debts are treated differently under UK law – a sole trader’s business liabilities form part of their personal estate.
If the deceased was a director or shareholder of a limited company: The business itself continues to exist after the director’s death (unlike a sole trader, where the business and the individual are legally the same). The surviving directors or administrators of the company can contact Wise to update account ownership or access. You will need to provide:
- Death certificate
- Proof of your status as a surviving director, administrator, or legally appointed representative
- Documentation proving the deceased’s role (shareholder register, articles of association, or similar)
Companies House should also be notified of the director’s death within 14 days, using form TM01. This is a separate legal obligation, not part of the Wise process.
Source: Wise – how we can help when someone dies, last verified May 2026.
The Wise Interest feature and accrued returns
Wise offers an opt-in Interest feature for UK customers holding GBP, EUR, or USD balances. Instead of depositing these funds with a bank in the traditional sense, Wise invests them in government-backed money market funds managed by BlackRock:
- GBP: BlackRock ICS Sterling Government Liquidity Fund
- USD: BlackRock ICS US Treasury Fund
- EUR: BlackRock ICS Euro Government Liquidity Fund
Interest accrues daily on a working-day basis and is added to the account at the start of each calendar month.
If the deceased had the Interest feature enabled, any accrued but not yet paid interest forms part of the estate. When requesting the account balance from Wise, ask specifically whether the Interest feature was active and what accrued interest is owed. This amount will need to be included in the estate valuation.
The underlying funds are distinct from a traditional bank deposit – they are not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) in the same way as a bank savings account. Wise is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and personal account money is held in safeguarded accounts separate from Wise’s own funds. Source: Wise – how Interest works, last verified May 2026.
Probate and releasing funds to the estate
Wise does not publish a fixed probate threshold the way that Revolut (£5,000) or Monzo (£25,000) do. Whether probate is required depends on the total value of the estate, the succession law of the country where the deceased was resident, and Wise’s assessment of the documentation provided.
As a practical guide:
- For modest estates with no property and limited assets, Wise may be willing to release funds on the basis of a death certificate, your ID, proof of your relationship or executor status, and their standard refund form
- For larger estates, or where there is any ambiguity about who has legal authority, Wise is likely to require a grant of probate or letters of administration before releasing funds
When you contact the bereavement team, explain the total approximate value of the estate and the assets involved. They will confirm what documentation is needed. Do not assume a low Wise balance means probate is unnecessary – Wise’s requirements are tied to the overall estate situation, not just the Wise account balance in isolation.
Applying for probate in England and Wales is done through the Probate Registry. You can apply yourself at gov.uk/applying-for-probate, or use a solicitor. For more on the probate process, including costs and timelines, see our guide to probate.
Things to watch out for
Wise holds money differently from a bank. Wise is an e-money institution (and in some territories a bank), not a traditional UK bank. Personal account money is held in safeguarded client accounts, not deposited in the FSCS-covered banking system in the conventional sense. The regulatory protections are real but structured differently – if the estate valuation requires a clear statement of how funds are held, ask Wise’s bereavement team for written confirmation.
Multi-currency means multi-asset. It is easy to underestimate the total balance in a Wise account if you only see one currency on a statement. Request a full balance across all currencies and calculate the GBP equivalent at the date-of-death exchange rate. This figure is what matters for probate and inheritance tax purposes.
Do not use the deceased’s account credentials. Accessing a deceased person’s financial accounts using their login details – even with good intentions – can constitute fraud. Contact Wise through the bereavement channel at bereavements@wise.com and let the bereavement team handle access. This applies even if you know the password and have the phone.
The email-only process can feel slow. Wise has no phone line for bereavement cases. If you are dealing with urgent estate matters, send your initial email as early as possible and be explicit about any time pressures. Keep copies of every email you send and receive.
International dimension. If the deceased was not resident in the UK, or if the estate involves overseas assets, Wise may require additional documentation including an apostille certificate from the relevant foreign authority. This adds time to the process.
Wise does not notify other institutions. When you settle the Wise account, that notification has no effect on other accounts the deceased may have held. You will need to notify each institution separately. If the deceased also used Revolut, Monzo, or PayPal, each has its own bereavement process.
Summary
To notify Wise after a bereavement, email bereavements@wise.com with the deceased’s account details and your own information. Wise handles all bereavement cases by email – there is no phone line.
The most important things to know:
- All currency balances in the Wise account are estate assets – get a full statement across all currencies
- Wise does not offer joint personal accounts, so there is no automatic survivorship
- Probate requirements are assessed case by case – contact the team early and explain your situation
- If the Interest feature was active, ask specifically about accrued but unpaid interest
Key contact: bereavements@wise.com
Help page: Wise – when someone with a Wise account dies
Documents to prepare:
| Document | When needed |
|---|---|
| Death certificate (scan/image) | Always |
| Your photo ID (government-issued, both sides) | Always |
| Wise refund form (they send this) | Always |
| Copy of will + executor proof | If there is a will |
| Birth/marriage certificate proving relationship | If no will |
| Grant of probate or letters of administration | If required by Wise |
For a full list of organisations to notify after a death, see our what to do after a death guide. If the deceased also used digital payment services, see our guides to Revolut, Monzo, and PayPal.