Help when someone dies
We are sorry to hear about your loss. Dealing with finances following the loss of someone close to you can be overwhelming and we want to make this as straightforward as possible for you. If you are able, please let us know about your bereavement by completing our online notification form. If you would prefer you can let us know by telephone or in store. Our online service is the quickest way to make us aware of all the details we need to know.
Notification of Bereavement
For customers who hold Virgin Money products, you can notify us via our Virgin Money online notification form.
For customers who hold Clydesdale/Yorkshire Bank products, you can notify us via our Clydesdale/Yorkshire Bank online notification form.
- Your name and contact details
- Suitable identification
- The original death certificate or certified copy
- If there is a will, the original or a certified copy of the will
- Information about any items held in safe custody with us (if applicable)
- The original Certificate of Confirmation/Grant of Probate/Letters of Administration or certified copy (if the value of the estate is £35k or over)
- All cards (debit and credit), cheque books and passbooks
- If you are appointing a solicitor, details of the firm
- Current full valid UK/non-UK passport
- Current UK/EEA photocard driving license
- Current EEA member state ID card
Other documents may be accepted. For further information please contact the Bereavement Services Team.
Virgin Money accounts are identified by a unique 12 digit reference number with one letter known as the account number or have a sort code starting 08-xx-xx.
Clydesdale Bank accounts can be identified by sort codes starting 82-xx-xx.
Yorkshire Bank accounts can be identified by sort codes starting 05-xx-xx.
Our Bereavement Services Team will check all the details and contact you shortly.
If you’re struggling to use our online notification service, you can contact our Bereavement Services team directly or visit your local Virgin Money store.
For Virgin Money accounts, the team can be contacted on:
0345 600 7301
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
For Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank accounts, the team can be contacted on:
0800 011 3238
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Dealing with the estate
Once we’ve been notified, we‘ll check for all the accounts held with us. The next steps relating to each type of account or product are as follows:
Sole Accounts
Sole accounts will be frozen and any payments into and out of the account stopped. Where any payments are still required to be made you should contact the person or people who the payment is to be made to make other arrangements. Interest will continue to be applied if applicable. Any funds held in the accounts form part of the estate and will be released when the settlement is complete.
Joint Accounts
Joint accounts will stay active, and we will change these into the name of the surviving party. Any new cheque/passbooks will be issued if necessary. All payments into or out of the account will continue as normal.
Credit Cards
We will arrange for any cards held in the deceased’s name to be cancelled and will explain any next steps on a call. These steps will depend on whether there is an outstanding balance on the account.
Term Deposit Accounts
Term deposits can be left until maturity and will continue to earn interest. Term deposit accounts, whether joint or sole, can be closed without receiving a penalty.
Cash ISAs
Cash ISAs are treated in the same way as a sole account. Any funds will be released, and accounts closed at settlement.
If there are a number of Bank accounts to settle and payments due to the estate, you may want to open an executor account with us to gather all the money.
If you want to discuss this further, please contact our Bereavement Services Team or your local store.
Inheritance tax may be payable depending on the value of the estate and who the estate is being left to. The personal representative(s) are usually responsible for paying this, using the funds from the estate.
Please let us know via the online form or when the bereavement services team contact you. You can also contact us by telephone or in store to discuss.
We’ll release any funds as soon as possible. What we’ll need to release the funds depends on the total amount held with us:
Discharge and indemnity
When the total funds held with us are less than £35,000 (and the estate is such that Certificate of Confirmation/Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration are not required), our Bereavement Services team will ask for this form to be completed. We also use this form when the balance falls below £35,000 once funeral expenses have been paid.
We’ll need suitable identification from all parties signing the form.
Certificate of Confirmation/Grant of Probate/Letters of Administration
When the total funds held with us are more than £35,000, or the value of the estate is such that Certificate of Confirmation/Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration is required we’ll need to see sight of the original or certified copy. These official documents allow personal representative(s) to close accounts and administer the estate.
If you’re unsure of your legal obligations, you may want to seek independent legal advice. Alternatively, you can visit gov.uk Link opens in a new window.
There are some expenses relating to funeral and estate costs which can be settled using the money in the bank account(s). We can either do this directly with the relevant company, or if payment has already been settled, we can reimburse the relevant person. All we require is the invoice or proof of payment. We can also release all funds to settle part of the expenses if the accounts we hold aren’t enough to settle the expenses in full.
These can include:
Funeral expenses
- Funeral service
- Catering
- Flowers
- Headstone
Estate costs
- Confirmation/probate fees
- Inheritance tax costs
If you need any expenses to be paid, please let the store know, or forward the details to our Bereavement Services team.
This is a service which lets you tell all government organisations about a death. The service will work to notify key government departments included in the list below:
DWP
HMRC
DVLA
Passport Office
Local Authority
To find out more, please visit www.gov.uk/after-a-death/organisations-you-need-to-contact-and-tell-us-once Link opens in a new window.
Supporting you through a bereavement
Our specialist Bereavement Services Team are trained to support you every step of the way of the process. There are other support services who can help you through this difficult time:
GP Surgeries and Hospitals
GP surgeries and hospitals will have information about local groups offering practical information and advice following bereavement. The NHS website also provides support and advice for those grieving after bereavement or loss.
Cruse Bereavement Counselling
Cruse offers free confidential support for adults and children who need additional specialist help to deal with grief.
Freephone number 0808 808 1677
Samaritans
Sometimes bereavement can result in depression as people struggle to cope without an important person in their life. Samaritans are available 24 hours a day, every day to listen, help and support people.
Freephone number 116 123
Child Bereavement UK
Child Bereavement UK help children and young people (up to the age of 25), parents and families, to rebuild their lives when a child grieves or who are affected by the death of a child of any age.
Freephone number 0800 028 8840