How to Notify Hargreaves Lansdown After a Death in the UK

If you need to tell Hargreaves Lansdown (HL) that someone has died, start by notifying its bereavement team as early as you can. HL says the quickest route is its online Notification of Death form, though families can also call the bereavement team for help.

The key point is that HL does not deal with every asset in the same way. A Stocks and Shares ISA, a Fund and Share Account, Active Savings and an HL SIPP can all follow different paths after a death. That is why this task is not just “send a death certificate and wait”. The real job is understanding what type of account the person held, who has authority to deal with it, and whether probate is needed.

Start with the product list

Before you contact HL, try to establish which products the person had. Common examples include:

• Stocks and Shares ISA
• Lifetime ISA
• Fund and Share Account
• Active Savings
• Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP)
• drawdown pension

If you only know that the person “had investments with HL”, say that. HL’s bereavement process can still begin, but the account type will shape what happens next.

How to notify HL

HL says families can notify it by:

• completing its online Notification of Death form
• calling the bereavement team for support

You should also expect to provide a death certificate during the process. HL’s public guidance says executors or families may need to send the original or a certified copy of the death certificate for some account types.

What happens once HL is told

According to HL’s guidance, once it has been notified:

• the relevant account is usually frozen
• investments can remain exposed to market movement while the estate is being administered
• dividends or interest may continue to accrue, depending on the product
• HL will usually send paperwork explaining the next stage

That freezing step often worries families, but it is normal. It prevents unauthorised dealing while the legal position is being confirmed.

ISAs, investment accounts and Active Savings

For non-pension products, the process is usually estate-led.

HL says that after notification it may:

1. ask for the death certificate
2. freeze the account
3. issue a date-of-death valuation or probate valuation
4. send an estates pack or release forms
5. require probate paperwork before assets are released, unless a small-estate exception applies

In plain English, this means the executor or administrator often becomes the main point of contact.

When probate may matter

HL’s guidance says it will generally require a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration before distributing non-pension assets. However, it also explains that there can be a small-estates route in some cases.

That does not mean every family should assume probate is unnecessary. It means you need to ask HL what documents it requires for the specific balance and product mix involved.

Pensions are different

This is the most important distinction.

HL says pension assets such as a SIPP are usually handled differently from the rest of the estate. In many cases, pension death benefits sit outside the legal estate, which means the process is not simply “executor sends probate and collects the money”.

Instead, HL’s guidance describes a beneficiary-focused process. It may:

• request information about possible beneficiaries
• consider any nomination the deceased made
• review the will and family circumstances
• ask for extra documents, such as a marriage certificate where relevant
• offer beneficiaries options such as a lump sum, beneficiary drawdown or an annuity

So if the person held an HL pension, do not assume the executor controls the outcome in the same way as with a general investment account.

Spouse and civil partner issues

A spouse or civil partner may have options that other beneficiaries do not.

For example, HL explains that surviving spouses or civil partners can sometimes benefit from an Additional Permitted Subscription (APS) allowance in relation to an ISA. This can preserve some tax advantages after death.

That makes it worth asking a specific question:

“Was this account an ISA, and if so, is there an APS process for the surviving spouse or civil partner?”

Questions to ask HL on the first contact

Keep the conversation practical. Ask:

1. Which products did the person hold?
2. What documents do you need now?
3. Is the case being handled as an estate asset, a beneficiary claim, or both?
4. Is probate required for the non-pension assets?
5. If there is a pension, who will HL treat as the decision-maker or beneficiary contact?
6. Will you provide a date-of-death valuation for probate or inheritance tax work?
7. Are there any forms that can be completed before probate is issued?

Those questions usually save time later.

Why this matters for the wider estate

HL accounts are often only one part of the financial picture. The executor may also be dealing with banks, insurers, utility refunds, pension providers and probate paperwork at the same time.

That is why organisation matters. If you are juggling several institutions, a tool like GetPassage can help you keep track of what has been notified, what documents were sent and which steps still depend on probate.

What not to assume

Avoid these common mistakes:

• Do not assume every HL product needs probate in the same way. Pension and non-pension assets can follow different rules.
• Do not assume the final amount will match the date-of-death valuation. Investments may rise or fall while the estate is being administered.
• Do not assume the executor is automatically the only person HL will deal with. Pension beneficiary processes can be separate.
• Do not assume “small estate” means no paperwork. HL may still require declarations, wills or certified documents.

If you need money urgently for funeral or tax costs

HL’s public guidance explains that there can be limited routes for selling or releasing non-pension assets in order to help with certain estate expenses, such as funeral costs or inheritance tax. That does not mean families can freely withdraw what they want. It means you should explain the situation clearly and ask what HL’s current process allows.

A simple way to handle the task

Use this order:

1. Identify the HL products involved.
2. Notify HL using the online bereavement form or by phone.
3. Send the death certificate or other documents requested.
4. Separate the case into non-pension estate assets and pension death-benefit assets.
5. Ask exactly what probate or beneficiary paperwork is needed for each.
6. Keep copies of valuations, letters and forms.

Final thought

When an investment provider is involved, families often worry they are about to enter a maze of legal language. With HL, the core question is simpler: what kind of asset is this, and who has authority over it after death? Once you get that answer, the process usually becomes much easier to manage.