We're here to help at this difficult time
We know that losing someone is very difficult. The last thing you need is a complicated process to resolve financial matters – which is why our Customer Service team is on hand to talk you through how to deal with financial affairs following a loss.
What to do
When someone dies, you need to register their death within five days (England & Wales) or eight days (Scotland). You should arrange an appointment at any registry office, however it is recommended that, where possible, you use the local office in the area where the death occurred.
It is a good idea to request several copies of the Death Certificate, if you can afford to, as you can send these to any organisations that require a copy in order to speed up the process (rather than waiting for one to be returned, several times).
The cost per copy is: £4.00 in England and Wales, £8.00 in Northern Ireland and £10.00 in Scotland.
If the death occurred overseas, you can visit: https://www.gov.uk/register-a-death/y/overseas.
What we need from you, if the deceased was a Starling customer
If the deceased was a Starling Bank customer, please let us know as soon as possible. You can reach our customer service team 24 hours a day via telephone - 0800 0234 617.
Initially, we’ll ask for a scanned copy of the certified Death Certificate, and a certified copy of your Passport or Driving Licence, we’re able to receive these via email, for convenience.
We need to confirm that you’re able to instruct us on behalf of the deceased’s estate - so we’ll ask if there is a Will, this is important as it will name the executors of the deceased’s estate. If there is no will, the estate will be subject to intestacy rules.
We will request letters of administration/grant of probate when the total held in the deceased’s account is £1,000.00, or more.
How do I obtain Grant of Probate / Letters of Administration?
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, if there's a will and you’re listed as an executor, you'll need to apply for a 'grant of probate'
If there's no will, or named executors are unable/unwilling to act, you'll need 'letters of administration'
In Scotland, both of the above are referred to as a 'certificate of confirmation'
Citizens Advice have some helpful information surrounding this topic.
Alternatively, you can find the probate forms (PA1) online.
You may also need to complete an Inheritance Tax form.
Your application should then be sent to your local Probate Registry, for consideration.
Who else can I talk to?
Cruse Bereavement Care - Cruse offers confidential support for adults & children
The Samaritans – Offering a safe place to talk, any time.
Macmillan - for everyone affected by cancer
Can I access the account to help with funeral costs?
We know that funerals can be expensive and this can make an incredibly difficult situation more stressful. We’re here to help, if we can – by releasing any funds within the deceased’s account to help with costs.
We’ll need the funeral invoice together with a certified copy of the death certificate, if not already supplied to us. We’ll pay any funds (up to the balance of the deceased’s account) directly to the funeral director, on your behalf.
