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

How to notify Fidelity of a death — step by step

1. Call Fidelity or use their online bereavement service

   Call 0800 41 41 61 or visit fidelity.co.uk/help-support/bereavement/. Fidelity will freeze the account and send you a bereavement pack with the forms required.

2. Gather account details and documentation

   You will need the deceased's Fidelity account number (from statements or correspondence), full name, date of birth, National Insurance number, and date of death. The death certificate will need to be sent as a certified copy.

3. Choose how to handle the investments

   Fidelity will ask whether you wish to transfer the investments to a beneficiary's Fidelity account (in specie transfer) or redeem them and pay proceeds to the estate. In-specie transfers avoid selling at potentially unfavourable prices.

4. ISA Additional Permitted Subscription (APS)

   A surviving spouse or civil partner can apply for an APS allowance equal to the value of the ISA. Fidelity's bereavement team can guide you through the APS application process. The deadline is 3 years from death or 180 days after estate administration completes.

What documents does Fidelity need?

• Death certificate (certified copy)
• Fidelity account number
• Grant of probate or letters of administration
• APS application form (if claiming — provided by Fidelity)

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 Fidelity take?

Fidelity 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.

Fidelity operates globally as Fidelity International. UK retail accounts are under fidelity.co.uk. Do not confuse with Fidelity Investments (US-headquartered, different company operating separately in the US market).

What happens after you notify Fidelity?

Once Fidelity 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.

Fidelity 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