Bereavement

Help if a family member or friend passes away

How we can help you

Coping with bereavement is one of the most difficult times you'll face. When a family member, friend or someone close to you dies, it's naturally very upsetting. We'll do our best to help you through this process.

The following information is relevant to AA Personal Loans or AA Savings products provided by Bank of Ireland UK.

You can also find help in the FAQs below.

Any references to 'we', 'us' or 'our' refer to Bank of Ireland UK.

AA Personal Loans or AA Savings product

To help us identify all accounts or products held by the deceased, please complete this online form as accurately as possible:

As the accounts are provided by Bank of Ireland UK you'll be redirected to their website. Your personal details will be used only to identify you as the executor, administrator or next of kin of the deceased customer. The Bank of Ireland UK privacy notice tells you more about how they use your personal details.

You'll need to have some details about the deceased ready, such as their name, address, date of birth, and the date of death.

Once you've completed the form we'll confirm the next steps, including what documents we need to see and any further information required.

Getting started

1. Bereavement notification
Please contact us to tell us of the bereavement – we're here to offer you our full support. You can call us using the contact numbers at the bottom of the page, and we'll try to give you any information that you may need.
2. Identification
If you're the next of kin or personal representative of the deceased's estate, we'll need proof of identity from you. This is so that we know who we're writing to and that you're entitled to account details. If you have an account with us, we'll only need your account number.
3. Proof of death
We'll need a certified copy of the death certificate, a certified extract of the will (if available) naming the executors, and we may need a copy of the grant of probate. If there is no valid will or no executors have been named in the will, we'll need a certified copy of the letters of administration.

You don't need to send us original documents. Certified copies of your original documents can be obtained from one of the following:

    Certification list
  • Bank or building society official
  • FCA registered broker or introducer
  • Justice of the Peace, Commissioner of Oaths or Notary Public
  • Accountant, solicitor or barrister

You might be charged a fee depending on who you ask to certify your documents

    Proof of identity
  • Valid passport
  • EU National Identity Card (photographic)
  • Valid UK Photo card full or provisional driving licence
  • Electoral ID card (NI only)
  • Translink Smart and Senior Smart cards for customers over 60 (NI only)
    Proof of address
  • Utility bill, other than a mobile phone bill, dated within the last 6 months
  • Bank, building society, credit union, credit card or Post Office accounts statement dated within the last 6 months
  • Local authority correspondence
  • Valid UK photo card full or provisional driving licence (may only be used for either proof of identity or proof of address, not both)

How to release funds or settle accounts

To release funds to pay the funeral director we'll need:

  • A certified copy of the death certificate.
  • Proof of the executor, administrator or next of kin's identity (where required).
  • The funeral director's invoice.
  • Our Payment Authorisation form signed by the executor(s), administrator(s) or next of kin.

You can also pay for other funeral expenses, like refreshments, flowers or memorial cards, from the account of the person who has died. We'll need the following documents from the executor(s) or next of kin:

  • A certified copy of the death certificate.
  • A certified extract of the will naming the executor(s) or, if there is no will, a letter naming the next of kin.
  • Proof of the executor, administrator or next of kin's identity (where required).
  • Our Indemnity form for other funeral related invoices', signed by the executor(s) if there is a valid will, or by next of kin if there is no will.

To settle accounts if the total value of the accounts is less than £30,000, we'll need:

  • A certified copy of the death certificate.
  • A certified extract of the will naming the executor(s) or, if there is no will, a letter naming the next of kin.
  • Proof of the executor, administrator or next of kin's identity (where required).
  • Our Indemnity on payment of monies from deceased customer's account form, signed by the executor(s) if there is a valid will, or by next of kin if there is no will.
  • Our Payment Authorisation form signed by the executor(s) if there is a valid will or by next of kin if there is no will.

Or if the total value of the accounts is £30,000 or more, we'll need these documents:

  • A certified copy of the death certificate.
  • Proof of the executor, administrator or next of kin's identity (where required).
  • A certified copy of the grant of probate if there is a valid will; or letters of administration if there is no will.
  • Our Payment Authorisation form signed by the executor(s) if there is a valid will, or by the administrator(s) if there is no will.

There may be circumstances where additional documentation is required.



Get in touch

Loans customer services 0345 266 0124
Loans collections and arrears 0800 032 8180
Savings (ISA) 0333 220 5069
Savings (non-ISA) 0345 266 0001

Frequently asked questions

Where do I get the death certificate?

The Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages will issue the death certificate once the death has been registered. You can find out how to register a death via the General Register Office for England and Wales.



Do I need a solicitor?

If you're not sure if you need legal assistance to help you deal with the deceased's will and estate, a good place to get free advice and support is the Citizens Advice Bureau. If you need a solicitor, all accredited solicitors are listed in The Law Society register.



If there is a will

What does an executor do?

The executor will find the will, apply for the grant of probate, make funeral arrangements, collect all assets, pay any outstanding debts including any tax owed, and distribute the assets in line with the deceased's will.

What is probate?

Probate is the legal process where the Probate Office of The High Court certifies the authenticity of the will and allows the executor to act.



If there is no will

What does an administrator do?

If a person dies without making a valid will, they'll have died 'intestate'. An administrator must be appointed to deal with the estate (rather than an executor). In this situation, you may need to speak to a solicitor to help you determine how the deceased's estate should be dealt with.

What are letters of administration?

If there is no valid will, a next of kin can apply to the Probate Office of The High Court to be the administrator named in letters of administration. This will enable them to deal with the deceased's estate.



What happens to joint bank accounts?

Any money in a joint bank account transfers to the remaining account holder(s) and isn't part of the deceased account holder's estate.

The account may continue in the remaining account holder's name if it's appropriate – we just need to receive a request for this. The remaining account holder will be responsible for the account until it is closed.



What happens to trust accounts?

If the deceased person held a trust account and you're a beneficiary, we recommend that you get independent financial or legal advice.



What happens to standing orders and direct debits?

Any standing orders or direct debits will be returned unpaid once we've been told the account holder has passed away. To do this you'll need to contact all the firms that have a direct debit linked to the deceased's bank account.



What happens with interest charges on loans?

Interest won't be charged on unsecured debts like credit cards and unsecured fixed rate personal loans.



How long will it take to settle a deceased person's finances?

The time needed to finalise your dealings with us can vary considerably. We'll work with you to do this as quickly as possible.



What is safe custody?

In the past we provided a service to keep items securely. This is called keeping items in safe custody or safe keeping.

We can carry out a search to find out if the person who has died had anything held in safe custody. We won't know the contents of the safe custody packet.

We can't release any items in safe custody until the grant of probate or letters of administration have been granted. If you know that there are items in safe custody, you'll need to apply for probate in order to get them. If the item in safe custody is the original will, this will be released to the executor or administrator.



What do I do if AA Financial Services is still sending mail?

It is normal to receive a final statement for any transaction account once it's been finalised, showing a nil balance. If you continue to receive mail in the deceased customer's name beyond this point, please call us.



Find more support

We've put together these useful links to help you find the support you need when dealing with bereavement: