Nationwide Building Society bereavement: how to notify them when someone dies.
Nationwide's bereavement team handles accounts, savings and mortgages on one number. Here is what to have ready, and what they do next.
At a glance
One number covers accounts, savings and mortgages.
Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, Saturday 9am to 12pm, closed Sundays and bank holidays
Step by step for Nationwide
- 1
Register the death
Register at a local register office to get the death certificate. You can still tell Nationwide before you have it.
- 2
Gather the member's details
Their full name, address, date of birth and date of death, plus the personal representative's name and address if you know them.
- 3
Notify Nationwide
Tell them online, in branch, by post or on 0800 464 3018. If you do not have the certificate yet, they can verify the death through the government database.
- 4
Nationwide writes to you
Within 10 working days they send a letter summarising the accounts held and exactly what to do next.
Documents Nationwide needs
- The death certificate — you can provide this later if you do not have it yet
- The member's full name, address, date of birth and date of death
- The personal representative's name and address
- Your own name and relationship to the member
What happens after you tell Nationwide.
For sole accounts under £50,000 you complete Nationwide's bereavement request form and no grant of probate is needed. Above that a grant is usually required — confirm the current limit with the team.
After you have told them and they have seen the death certificate, Nationwide writes to you within 10 working days with a summary of the accounts and the next steps.
Sole accounts and ISAs are frozen and the funds transferred to a beneficiary, then the account is closed. Joint accounts pass to the surviving holder, who keeps full access. As a building society Nationwide calls its customers 'members', but the process is the same as a bank.
Full contact details.
Bereavement Services Specialist Customer Support Nationwide Building Society Swindon SN38 3FN
Common questions about Nationwide.
For sole accounts under £50,000 you can usually close the account with Nationwide's bereavement request form and no grant of probate. Above that a grant is normally needed. Confirm the current limit with the team.
Yes. You can tell them first to safeguard the account and stop marketing. The bereavement team can verify the death through the government database, and you send the certificate when you have it.
Sole accounts and ISAs are frozen and the funds passed to a beneficiary. Joint accounts transfer to the surviving holder, who keeps full access throughout.