How to Notify Monzo After a Death in the UK

How to Notify Monzo After a Death in the UK

If someone who has died banked with Monzo, start by telling Monzo through its bereavement form, email or phone line. Monzo says anyone can notify it of the death, but it will only release money or act on instructions from the next of kin or someone formally dealing with the estate.

Handling a digital bank can feel strange after a death because there may be no branch to visit and no obvious paper trail. The good news is that Monzo does have a dedicated bereavement process, and if you approach it in the right order you can avoid delays, protect the account and deal with funeral costs more smoothly.

What to do before you contact Monzo

Gather the basics first. Monzo says it helps if you can provide as much of the following as possible:

• the deceased person's full name
• date of birth
• date of death
• email address or phone number on the account
• account number, if you know it
• a clear scan or photo of the death certificate

If you are the next of kin, Monzo may also ask for proof of identity and your relationship to the person who died. If you already have the will, grant of probate or letters of administration, keep those ready too, but do not panic if you do not have everything on day one.

How to tell Monzo someone has died

Monzo's main routes are:

1. its online bereavement form at monzo.com/bereavements
2. email at bereavements@monzo.com
3. phone support on 0800 802 1281 in the UK, or +44 203 872 0620 from abroad

Monzo's public guidance says the online form is the easiest route because it verifies your email and lets you upload what the bereavement team needs securely. It also says the team usually replies within 3 business days to explain the next steps.

If you are dealing with several organisations at once, this is exactly the kind of task where a simple checklist helps. A tool like GetPassage can be useful for keeping one place to track which providers have been told, what documents were sent and what still needs chasing.

Who can notify Monzo, and who can give instructions?

Monzo says anyone can tell them about the death. That is useful if you are the first person spotting the issue and need the account protected quickly.

But there is an important distinction between notifying Monzo and giving instructions. Monzo says it can only release funds or act on instructions from:

• the next of kin
• a solicitor
• an executor
• an administrator
• another professional representative such as a probate specialist

That means a friend or wider family member may be able to report the death, but they may not be able to tell Monzo what to do with the money.

What Monzo usually asks for

Monzo's bereavement guidance suggests sending what you can, rather than waiting until you have every document. In practice, that usually means:

What Monzo may ask for	Why it matters
Death certificate	Confirms the death and lets Monzo start the case
Account details if known	Helps Monzo find the right account quickly
Will, probate or letters of administration	Shows who has authority to deal with the estate
ID for the next of kin or representative	Helps Monzo verify who it is dealing with
Funeral invoice	Needed if you want Monzo to pay funeral costs directly

Monzo's public help pages also say it accepts most formal death records from the UK and overseas, but documents not in English may need a translation.

What happens after you notify Monzo

Once Monzo knows about the death, the next steps depend on the type of account and who is dealing with the estate. In general, you should expect Monzo to:

• open a bereavement case
• review the account and documents
• explain what authority it needs from you
• discuss how any remaining balance can be released or transferred
• deal separately with borrowing, savings and linked products where relevant

One unusual detail in Monzo's process is that it says it will always need an indemnity form if the account balance is above £100. That is a much lower threshold than many traditional banks use, so it is worth expecting paperwork even where the balance feels small.

Can Monzo release money for funeral costs?

Yes, sometimes. Monzo says it may pay funeral costs directly from the deceased person's account if there is enough money available.

The important condition is that Monzo wants the final funeral invoice. Its guidance says it will pay the funeral director directly, but it does not accept an estimate.

So if you are trying to use Monzo funds for funeral expenses, do this in order:

1. notify Monzo of the death
2. ask the funeral director for the final invoice
3. send the invoice to Monzo's bereavement team
4. wait for Monzo to confirm whether it can make the direct payment

This is broadly similar to how many UK banks handle pre-probate funeral payments, but the final decision will always depend on the account balance and Monzo's internal checks.

What about overdrafts, loans or Flex borrowing?

If the person who died owed Monzo money, the debt does not simply disappear. Monzo's guidance says its Life Events team can discuss repayment or settlement options where there is outstanding borrowing.

In practice, that usually means the debt becomes an estate issue. It should normally be dealt with from estate funds before beneficiaries receive their inheritance. If there is not enough money in the estate, get proper advice before paying anything personally. You may also find our guide to dealing with debt after a death helpful.

What happens to savings, joint products and children's accounts?

Monzo's bereavement guide says savings pots and partner savings products can be closed and the funds handled through the bereavement process. It also says memberships can be cancelled and any incorrect fees refunded.

For joint or business arrangements, Monzo uses the same starting point: report the death through the bereavement route and let the team explain what happens next based on how the product is set up.

A detail many families miss is that Monzo says if the main adult account holder dies, any linked Under 16s account will be closed. If a child relied on that arrangement, raise it with Monzo early so you can understand what needs replacing.

Do you need probate before contacting Monzo?

No. In fact, you should contact Monzo as soon as reasonably possible.

You may still need probate or letters of administration later, especially if the estate is not straightforward, but waiting can slow everything down. Early notification helps Monzo protect the account and tell you what evidence it will need next.

If you are not yet sure whether probate will be required, start with our guides on what probate is and how long probate can take.

A simple Monzo bereavement checklist

• Register the death and obtain certified copies of the death certificate.
• Find the deceased person's Monzo email, phone number or account details if you can.
• Tell Monzo using the online bereavement form, email or phone.
• Send the documents Monzo asks for.
• Ask about funeral invoice payments if relevant.
• Check whether there are savings pots, borrowing, business products or children's accounts linked to the main account.
• Keep a written record of what was sent and when.

Final thought

Monzo's process is more digital than many high street banks, but the core rule is the same: notify the provider quickly, prove who has authority, and do not rush the release of funds before the paperwork is clear. If you follow that order, dealing with a Monzo account after a death becomes much more manageable at a time when everything already feels heavy.