How to Notify AJ Bell of a Death: Investment Platform Bereavement Guide 2026

How to notify AJ Bell of a death — step by step

1. Notify AJ Bell by phone or using their online form

   Call 0161 605 0326 or complete the bereavement form at ajbell.co.uk. AJ Bell will freeze the account and assign a bereavement case handler to guide you through the process.

2. Provide the account reference and documentation

   You will need the deceased's AJ Bell account number (on statements or the AJ Bell Youinvest app), death certificate, and proof of your authority to deal with the estate (probate or letters of administration for estates over the small estate threshold).

3. Decide whether to transfer or encash investments

   Beneficiaries can choose to transfer investments in specie (keeping them as investments) or encash them. Transfers in specie can preserve CGT positions and avoid selling at an inopportune time.

4. Note ISA rules on death

   ISAs lose their tax-free wrapper on death, but a surviving spouse or civil partner can apply for an Additional Permitted Subscription (APS) equal to the value of the ISA. This must be claimed within 3 years of death (or 180 days after estate administration, whichever is later).

What documents does AJ Bell need?

• Death certificate (certified copy)
• AJ Bell account number
• Grant of probate or letters of administration
• Completed AJ Bell bereavement claim form

Have multiple certified copies of the death certificate ready. Banks and financial institutions each require an original or certified copy — you cannot usually pass a single copy between organisations. See our guide to how many death certificates you need.

How long does AJ Bell take?

AJ Bell typically takes 4–8 weeks to process a bereavement notification once all required documents have been received.

During this period, accounts or services will typically be frozen until the estate is administered. This means no new transactions can be authorised.

SIPP (pension) assets held by AJ Bell are handled differently from ISAs and dealing accounts. Pension assets are not automatically part of the estate and are paid at AJ Bell's discretion to nominated beneficiaries — check if a nomination of beneficiary form was completed.

What happens after you notify AJ Bell?

Once AJ Bell receives your notification and confirms receipt, the account or service will be frozen and no new transactions will be authorised. Estate administration can then begin.

AJ Bell will freeze the account and write to you with the documents required to transfer or encash the investments. You will typically need to provide a grant of probate (or letters of administration) and certified copies of the death certificate before assets can be released to the estate. ISA investments lose their tax-free wrapper on death but may benefit from an Additional Permitted Subscription (APS) allowance for a surviving spouse or civil partner.

What cannot wait