Guide
How to close a Barclays account when someone dies
Barclays has a dedicated bereavement team to guide you through closing or transferring an account. Here’s how the process works.
Step by step
- Notify Barclays through their bereavement support service, online, by phone or in branch.
- Register the death with them and provide a certified copy of the death certificate.
- Barclays freezes sole accounts and reviews any joint accounts.
- If the balance is above their threshold, they’ll ask for the grant of probate.
- They release the funds to the estate and close the account.
What they’ll ask you for
- A certified copy of the death certificate
- The deceased’s details and account number if known
- Identification for you as executor or next of kin
Good to know
Barclays, like other banks, will usually pay funeral costs directly to the funeral director from the account on sight of the invoice, before probate.
Common questions
- Do I need probate to close a Barclays account?
- Only if the balance is above Barclays’ threshold. For smaller amounts they may release funds with the death certificate and an indemnity form. Ask their bereavement team for the current figure.
General information to help you find your way — not legal or financial advice. Last reviewed June 2026.