Letting us Know
What we’ll do next
We are sorry to hear about the loss of your loved one, and once you’ve notified us, we’ll make the process of changing/closing the accounts as smooth as possible.
You can send these documents by post or take them to a branch – we’ll make photocopies and return the originals to you.
3.1 Proof of Death
3.2 Proof of your identity
You will need to show us one of the following:
3.3 A closure form
You’ll be asked to complete a closure form once you’ve notified us. You can complete it at a branch or download it and send it to us by post.
3.4 Grant of Probate (Confirmation in Scotland) or Letters of Administration
If we need this, we’ll let you know.
- Ways to notify us
Phone - To speak to a member of our contact centre,
Please call 0800 532 532 (if you are calling from within the UK) or +44 207 454 4338 (if calling from outside the UK).
The contact centre is open 24/7.
Email - customerservices.sbiuk@statebank.com
Branch - If you’d prefer to speak to someone in person, you can visit any branch – it doesn’t have to be where the account was set up. Branch locator – SBI (UK) Ltd
- However, you choose to contact us, you’ll only need the person’s name, address, and date of birth to notify us of their death.
- We can support you during this very difficult moment for your family. Please reach out to us in the ways below:
- What we’ll do next
- Once you’ve told us about the person’s death, we’ll stop further communications with the account holder. It takes a short time to arrange this so that you might receive letters addressed to them. We’re very sorry for any distress this causes.
- We’ll aim to make the whole process of closing the accounts as easy as possible for you.
- Documents we’ll need to close the account
- This is the certified copy of the death certificate provided by the registrar. We also accept interim death certificates, coroner’s certificates and non-UK death certificates as long as they’ve been translated into English and attested by the relevant foreign authorities.
- e.g., A death certificate from Kenya or India needs to be certified by the Kenyan/Indian High Commission in London to ascertain the document's veracity.
- Alternatively, we can accept the UK Grant of Probate or Letter of Administrator for foreign death certificates.
- Valid full or provisional driving licence (Both UK and International)
- Valid UK or International passport
- Immigration status documents or UK residence permit
- Student ID card
- UK/EU citizen card
- UK Armed Forces card
- Benefits entitlement letter or book (excluding Universal Credit)
- Child tax credit or working tax credit letter
Closing your accounts and services
- We’ll tell you what to do when you notify us, but if you’d like information about specific types of accounts, you can find it below.
- In each case, if there’s any outstanding debt, we’ll pay that back first from the balance if there’s enough money in the deceased’s account.
SBI (UK) Ltd Products range
Other important links
- There are many organisations that can help if you've been bereaved. You can find both practical and emotional support, information, and guidance.
- We've compiled a list of some of them here. They aren’t affiliated with State Bank of India (UK) Ltd
Practical Support
- Tell US Once
- Bereavement Register (to help reduce direct mail being sent to the address of a person who has died)
- Government service and advice
- Department for Work and Pensions
- Foreign and Commonwealth Office
- Citizens Advice Bureau
- HM Revenue & Customs (HRMC)
- HM Revenue and Customs (Dealing with the estate of someone who's died)
- Government Direct (free legal advice on a wide range of topics, including what to do if a will has not been made)
- Lost account
- The General Register Office (England and Wales) PO Box 2, Southport, PR8 2JD
- The General Register Office (Scotland) New Register House, 3 West Register Street, Edinburgh EH1 3YT
- Probate Registry (for application for powers to process the Will in England and Wales)
Emotional support
Glossary of terms
We've gathered a list of some of the words and terms you may see when dealing with a bereavement. If you don't understand some things, our customer service line or Branch personnel will help you via telephone or in person. Just call 0800 532 532 (if you are calling from within the UK), or +44 207 454 4338 (if calling from outside the UK), or visit one of our Branches - Branch locator – SBI (UK) Ltd.
Beneficiary: a person who inherits part or all of the estate.
Certified copy: a copy of the original document that has been signed and verified by a solicitor/SBIUK branch.
Certificate of confirmation: a document giving the authority to administer an estate in Scotland.
Customer representative: generic term for someone who is administering the estate.
Death certificate: the legal document issued by the registry office after a death has been registered.
Estate: all assets belonging to the deceased.
Executor: a person appointed by a will to administer the estate.
Funeral invoice: the bill to pay the funeral director. We need this to be able to release funds from the deceased’s accounts to pay for the funeral.
Grant of letters of administration: a document giving the authority to administer an estate where there is no will.
Grant of probate: a document giving the authority to administer an estate in accordance with the will.
Grant of representation: a collective term for both the grant of probate and the grant of letters of administration.
Inheritance tax: a tax paid to HMRC on the deceased's estate.
Intestacy rules: dictate how the deceased’s estate will be shared when there is no will.
