What you'll need
About the person
You’ll be asked to provide:
- their name
- their date of birth
- their date of death
- any information you have on the accounts they held with us or services they used
- an original or certified copy of their death certificate
- an original or certified copy of their will, if they have one
- Grant of Probate, Letters of Administration or Certificate of Confirmation, depending on the balance
About you
You’ll be asked to provide:
- your name
- your contact details
- your ID
- details for the executor, personal representative or professional executor, if not you
The details
When they’re needed
You'll need to provide an original or certified copy of one of these documents if the balance of their Virgin Money accounts or Virgin Money Unit Trust Managers accounts (if they had an investment or pension with us) is £35,000 or more.
If you already have one of these documents, please send us an original or certified copy.
If you don’t have one of these documents and the balance of their Virgin Money accounts is less than £35,000, we’ll provide you with a form to complete instead.
What they are
Grant of Probate (England and Wales)
A document confirming an executor named in the will has the legal right to handle the person's property, money and possessions.
Letters of Administration (England and Wales)
The equivalent of a Grant of Probate if the person died without a will. It's a document confirming who has the legal right to handle the person's property, money and possessions.
Certificate of Confirmation (Scotland)
A document confirming who has the legal right to handle the person's property, money and possessions.
- Current UK or non-UK passport
- Current UK, EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland driving license with photo
- Current EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland national ID card with photo
Executor
Anyone named in the will to deal with the person's property, money and possessions.
Personal representative
Another name for someone who is an executor or, if there is no will, the person who has legal authority to deal with the person's property, money and possessions.
Professional executor
This could be a solicitor, bank or accountant.
Ways to let us know
There are different ways to let us know depending on what accounts or services they had with us. Let's find which team you should contact.
1. What type of accounts did they have with us?
Select one of the options.
If more than one option applies you can either let us know by visiting a Branch or contacting each team separately.
If you don't have any account information, find ways to contact us.
What happens next
Here we'll cover:
- what happens to their accounts after you’ve let us know
- how to pay for expenses, including funeral costs and inheritance tax
- when the accounts will close and money will be released
What happens to the person's accounts
After you’ve contacted us, we will inform you of the next steps and what happens to each of their accounts.
You can find information on what happens to some of our most popular account types below.
Sole account
Their account will be frozen and any payments into and out of the account stopped. The personal representative will receive a list of any direct debits and standing orders on the account. Where any payments still need to be made, contact the payee to make other arrangements.
After you've contacted us, we'll stop any account fees.
If there is interest on the account, it will continue to be applied until the account is closed.
If the account is using an arranged or unarranged overdraft, we'll let the personal representative know how much needs to be repaid.
Joint account
The account will become a sole account and remain active. All payments into or out of the account will continue as normal.
We’ll arrange for any credit cards held in their name to be cancelled and explain any next steps. These steps will depend on whether there is an outstanding balance on the account.
If they were an additional card holder we can remove them from the account. Any outstanding spend made by the additional cardholder will still be the primary cardholder's responsibility to pay back.
Fixed term deposits
These can either be left until maturity and will continue to earn interest. Or you can decide to close them, whether they are joint or sole accounts, without receiving a penalty.
Cash ISAs
Interest will continue to be applied until the account is closed.
If the ISA belonged to your spouse or civil partner then you’re likely eligible to inherit their ISA allowance. This is known as ‘additional permitted subscriptions’ (APS). This means you get a one-off additional ISA allowance on top of your normal tax-free ISA allowance. The value of the additional ISA allowance is either the value of their ISA at the date of death or when the account's closed, whichever is the highest. When you contact us we can provide information on how to claim the additional ISA allowance.
All other savings accounts
Interest will continue to be applied until the account is closed.
Sole mortgage
The mortgage may be covered by a life insurance policy. If not, payments will need to be arranged. When you contact us we can provide guidance on what options are available.
Joint mortgage
The mortgage may be covered by a life insurance policy. If not, the monthly payments will continue as before. Usually, the mortgage will transfer to a sole mortgage once we've received the death certificate. If you have any concerns please contact us and we can provide guidance on what options are available.
After you've contacted us, we’ll stop the Account Charge.
The money will remain invested until we pay the money out, or we’re told to sell the investments by the personal representative. While the money is still invested, we'll continue to charge the Annual Management Charge, as outlined in our investment charges.
Stocks and shares ISA
Note that if the ISA belonged to your spouse or civil partner then you’re likely eligible to inherit their ISA allowance. This is known as ‘additional permitted subscriptions’ (APS). This means you get a one-off additional ISA allowance on top of your normal tax-free ISA allowance. The value of the additional ISA allowance is either the value of their ISA at the date of death or when the account's closed, whichever is the highest. When you contact us we can provide information on how to claim the additional ISA allowance.
After you've contacted us, we’ll stop the Account Charge.
The money will remain invested until we pay the money out, or we’re told to sell the investments by the personal representative. If the funds are invested in a Navigator pension, we’ll stop any further automatic switches.
While the money is still invested, we'll continue to charge the Annual Management Charge, as outlined in our pension charges.
There may already be named beneficiaries for the pension, we’ll always consider them when deciding who to pay the money to.
Our insurance provider will let you know if any additional information is required and what the next steps will be.
Sole account
We’ll let the personal representative know how much needs to be repaid.
Joint account
The loan will transfer to a sole loan account after we receive the death certificate.
Sole traders
Sole trader accounts will be frozen and any payments into and out of the account stopped. The personal representative will receive a list of any direct debits and standing orders on the account. Where any payments still need to be made, contact the payee to make other arrangements.
If there is interest on the account, it will continue to be applied until the account is closed.
If the account has any outstanding borrowing, the Relationship Manager will be in contact to discuss the borrowing along with the security held against the lending.
Partnership
Where no formal Partnership Agreement is in place, it’s likely the account will be frozen and any payments into and out of the account stopped.
Where there is a Partnership Agreement in place that allows the partnership to continue, the account can remain open.
Where there is a Partnership Agreement which does not allow the partnership to continue it’s likely the account will be frozen and any payments into and out of the account stopped.
In all cases, the Relationship Manager will be in contact to discuss the next steps. They will provide assistance and advice regarding any outstanding partnership borrowing and relating security. You may wish to continue the business in a new partnership or as a sole trader (if only 1 partner remains).
Limited Company
If the sole director died and the company is to continue, the shareholders need to appoint a new director and update the mandates.
If the sole director was a sole shareholder, the Relationship Manager will be in contact regarding the next steps.
Where one or more director remains and the business is to continue, the accounts will remain open. The mandates may need updating.
Releasing money to pay for expenses
We can usually release money for urgent costs, such as:
- funeral costs
- fees to gain official documentation showing your legal right to handle the person's property, money and possessions
- inheritance tax
We can pay the provider directly if you supply the invoice.
If payments have already been made, we can reimburse the relevant person once we receive the invoice and proof of payment.
If the expenses are more that the total amount held in their Virgin Money accounts, we will release all the money held to pay for part of the expenses.
You may need to pay inheritance tax depending on the value of the estate. Check the government’s inheritance tax guide Link opens in a new window.
Closing accounts and releasing money
After we’ve received all the information and documentation we need, we aim to close accounts and release any money within 5 working days.
Check ‘What you’ll need’.
In some cases we'll ask you to complete a form. Once you contact us we'll let you know if you need to complete this form and send it to you. It's only needed when the balance in their Virgin Money accounts is less than £35,000 and you've not provided one of the following documents:
- Grant of Probate (England and Wales)
- Letters of Administration (England and Wales)
- Certificate of Confirmation (Scotland)
You'll need to return the completed form and provide ID for anyone signing the form before accounts can be closed and any money released.
Accessibility support
Find out how to request an alternative format or contact us about other accessibility requests. You'll also find information on how to call us using Relay UK, a service designed for people with a hearing or speech impairment.
Organisations that can help
Government guidance
Find guidance around the steps personal representatives need to take on the government's website.
Visit the government's website Link opens in a new window
NHS
GP surgeries and hospitals usually have information about local support groups. You can also find information and support on the NHS website.
Visit the NHS website Link opens in a new window
Cruse Bereavement Support
Cruse offers free and confidential bereavement support for adults and children.
Visit Cruse Bereavement Support Link opens in a new window
Samaritans
They’re available 24 hours a day to listen, help and support people who are struggling to cope.
Visit Samaritans Link opens in a new window
Child Bereavement UK
The charity offers free and confidential bereavement support when a child grieves or a child dies.
Visit Child Bereavement UK Link opens in a new window
Turn2us
Use their Benefits Calculator and Grants Search to see what financial support you might be able to claim for.
