How to Notify Newcastle Building Society After a Death in the UK

If the person who died had savings, an ISA, a mortgage or financial advice relationship with Newcastle Building Society, you should tell the Society as soon as you reasonably can. The first notification does not have to settle everything. It simply records the death, stops inappropriate correspondence, and starts the process of identifying who can deal with the accounts.

Newcastle Building Society's own bereavement guidance says you can notify them by visiting a branch, calling the relevant team or writing by post. Anyone can tell them about the death, but only the legally authorised personal representative can receive detailed account information or close accounts.

The quickest ways to contact Newcastle Building Society

Newcastle Building Society lists different contact routes depending on the product:

Product area	Contact route listed by Newcastle Building Society
Savings	Call 0345 734 4345, Monday to Friday
Mortgages	Call 0345 601 0014, Monday to Friday
Financial advice	Call 0345 600 4330, Monday to Friday
Branch support	Visit a local branch
Post	Newcastle Building Society, 1 Cobalt Park Way, Wallsend, NE28 9EJ

Opening hours can change, so check the Society's bereavement page before calling if the matter is urgent.

What information to prepare before you call

You do not need a perfect file before making the first call. Prepare what you can:

• the full name of the person who died
• their date of birth and last address
• the date of death
• any Newcastle Building Society account numbers or mortgage references
• your name, contact details and relationship to them
• whether there is a will
• who the executor or administrator is, if known
• whether there are savings, a mortgage, or both

If you cannot find account numbers, ask the Society whether they can search using the person's name, address and date of birth.

Documents Newcastle Building Society may need

Newcastle Building Society says it needs one of the following to register the death: a death certificate, a copy of the death certificate, or an interim or coroner's certificate. You can bring documents to a branch or send them by post.

Later, extra legal documents may be needed. These can include:

• Grant of Probate, if there is a will and executors are applying in England or Wales
• Letters of Administration, if there is no will or no executor able to act
• Certificate of Confirmation, for Scottish estates
• identification for the personal representative
• the Society's account-closure form

The Society's guidance says probate or equivalent authority may be needed if the person had more than £30,000 in sole savings accounts, if another bank or company has already asked for probate, or if a mortgage is only in one name.

Who can receive account information?

This is the point that often frustrates families. A relative may be able to report the death, but that does not mean the building society can share balances, close accounts or release money to them.

Newcastle Building Society says account information can be shared with the personal representative after checks are complete. That usually means:

• the executor named in the will, or
• the administrator authorised by the court if there is no will.

If the family has not yet agreed who is dealing with the estate, tell the Society that the personal representative is not yet confirmed. You can update them later.

What happens to savings accounts?

Once Newcastle Building Society has registered the death and checked authority, the personal representative can ask about balances, interest, account types and closure.

For sole accounts, the money normally forms part of the estate. It should not be distributed casually, because it may be needed for funeral costs, tax, debts or beneficiaries under the will or intestacy rules.

For joint savings accounts, Newcastle Building Society's guidance says the account passes to the other account holder. Even then, the surviving account holder should still notify the Society so records can be updated.

Can money be released before probate?

Newcastle Building Society says it can help pay certain costs directly, including funeral costs, probate fees and Inheritance Tax. This does not mean money is paid out freely to family members. It usually means payment is made directly to the organisation that needs to be paid, after the Society has checked the request.

Ask what evidence they need before making promises to a funeral director or HMRC. Keep copies of invoices, receipts and letters for the estate file.

What if there is a mortgage?

Mortgage cases need separate handling. The next step depends on whether the mortgage was in the deceased person's sole name, joint names, or linked to a property that passes automatically to someone else.

Ask Newcastle Building Society to confirm:

• whether monthly payments should continue
• who they can discuss the mortgage with
• whether any life insurance or protection policy is known
• what happens if the property is being sold
• whether probate or letters of administration are needed before changes can be made

Do not stop mortgage payments without speaking to the lender unless there is no alternative. Missed payments can create avoidable problems for the estate or surviving borrower.

A practical order of tasks

1. Notify Newcastle Building Society using the relevant contact route.
2. Send or show the death certificate, copy certificate, interim certificate or coroner's certificate.
3. Confirm who the personal representative is, if known.
4. Ask whether probate, letters of administration or confirmation will be needed.
5. Ask whether any funeral, probate fee or Inheritance Tax payment can be made directly.
6. Complete the closure form when the Society confirms it is appropriate.
7. Keep written confirmation of balances, closures, payments and refunds.

Using GetPassage alongside this process can help you track which financial organisations have been told, what each one asked for, and what still needs chasing.

When to take advice

Get professional advice if the estate may be insolvent, family members disagree about who should act, the mortgage is unaffordable, there is no will, or you are being asked to pay estate costs from your own money.

For most families, the first step is smaller: tell Newcastle Building Society, provide evidence of the death, and ask them to explain the exact authority and documents required for this particular account.