How to Notify Royal Bank of Scotland of a Death: Bank Bereavement Guide 2026

How to notify Royal Bank of Scotland of a death — step by step

1. Tell RBS about the death

   Use RBS's online death notification form, call the bereavement team, or use the free Death Notification Service, which tells RBS and other participating banks at once. Webchat is also available on weekdays.

2. Send the documents RBS asks for

   RBS may ask for the death certificate, the will and any codicil, the grant of representation (or Certificate of Confirmation in Scotland) and an account closure form. If you are not an RBS customer yourself, it may also ask for your photo ID and proof of address. RBS says you only need to provide the documents that are relevant, not everything at once. Documents can be emailed to berdocuments@rbs.com.

3. Ask about the funeral bill

   If there is enough money in the account, RBS can pay the funeral director's invoice directly, before the grant of representation. The invoice must be on the funeral director's letterhead, itemised, show the full name of the person who died and give the funeral director's bank details. RBS says it pays funeral bills within five working days once it has everything it needs. It cannot refund a funeral bill someone has already paid.

4. Close the accounts

   Once RBS has what it needs, complete the account closure form, which RBS offers online or as a PDF.

What documents does Royal Bank of Scotland need?

• Death certificate
• The will and any codicil
• Grant of representation (England and Wales) or Certificate of Confirmation (Scotland), where needed
• Account closure form
• Your photo ID and proof of address, if you are not an RBS customer

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 Royal Bank of Scotland take?

Royal Bank of Scotland does not publish a processing time, so we do not give one. Ask when you notify them, and ask for a reference so you can chase it.

Accounts or services are usually frozen until the estate is administered, which means no new transactions can be authorised. Frozen bank accounts cannot send or receive money, so it is important to ensure the estate has an accessible source of funds for ongoing costs such as funeral expenses.

Using the Death Notification Service for Royal Bank of Scotland

Royal Bank of Scotland is a member of the Death Notification Service (DNS). The DNS lets you notify multiple banks and building societies at once, saving time if the deceased held accounts at several institutions. You can use the service online at deathnotificationservice.co.uk or by telephone on 0800 158 2227.

However, notification via the DNS is the first step only. You must still contact Royal Bank of Scotland directly to close accounts, transfer funds, and release assets to the estate. The DNS does not replace the full bereavement process — it simply triggers an initial notification.

For more on services that help manage death administration, see our complete guide to UK death administration services.

What happens after you notify Royal Bank of Scotland?

Once Royal Bank of Scotland 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.

Royal Bank of Scotland will write to you with a bereavement reference number and a list of the documents they require to proceed. At that stage you will need to provide the grant of probate (or letters of administration) along with certified copies of the death certificate before funds can be released to the estate. Once the grant is in hand, you can proceed to close the deceased's bank account and release funds to the estate.

What cannot wait