What to do after a bereavement
The steps below detail what you should do after a client passes away.1. Let us know
Anyone can inform us of a bereavement by letter, email or telephone. Call charges may vary.Phone: 0345 600 2399
- Post: Elevate, PO Box 6891, Basingstoke, RG24 4SN
- Email: elevate_enquiries@abrdn.com
When you do contact us, we’ll need the following information:
About the deceased
- Account number/s
- Full name
- Full address (last known)
- Date of birth
Date of death
- If there is a surviving spouse or civil partner
- If a Will was left (we will require the original or a certified copy)
- If Probate will be applied for
About you (or the executor if there is one)
- Full name
- Full address (last known)
- Best daytime contact phone number
Email address
- Relationship to account holder
- Preferred method of contact (phone, email, post)
Contact details for the personal representative / solicitor (if known)
2. We’ll confirm what you need to do next
Depending on your communication preference we will send you a letter or email within five working days of us receiving the official confirmation.Once we’ve received all necessary information and documents, we’ll let you know the options available to you. These options will differ depending on the product (Elevate General Investment Account (GIA), Elevate Stocks & Shares Individual Savings Account (ISA) or Elevate Pension Investment Account (PIA)).
We’ll then issue a valuation of the deceased’s Elevate account(s) as at the date of death.
3. Provide us with the right information and documents
Before we’re able to release any money held in the deceased’s Elevate account, you’ll need to provide us with some or all of the following information and documents.
When sending documents, please include a return address so that they can be returned to you. We’ll return any original documents and Registrar’s certified copies to you in the post by recorded delivery as quickly as possible.
Information we'll need from you:
- Deceased’s full name, date of birth and address
- Relationship to the deceased of the person notifying us of the bereavement (e.g. spouse/civil partner, executor, solicitor)
- Contact details of the personal representative/solicitor so we can contact them if required.
Documents you may need to provide:
- Registrar's certified copy of the Death Certificate*
- Original or a certified (on all pages) photocopy of the Will (see our FAQ for who can and how to certify that they’ve seen the original)
- Original Grant of Probate (or Certificate of Confirmation), or Letter of Administration
* It's important the death certificate is the Registrar's certified copy of the Death Certificate. These are issued by the Registrar.
Answers to common questions
What happens next?
For Elevate GIA and ISA
Option 1: Transfer into an Elevate GIA
If your client has inherited the deceased’s GIA, they have the option to transfer the investments into their Elevate GIA
Option 2: Apply for an additional permitted ISA subscription (for deceased’s spouse/civil partner only)
If your client is the deceased’s spouse or civil partner, they can apply for an additional permitted subscription. This means they can pay in an amount equal to the value of the deceased’s ISA (as at the date of death or when the ISA is closed), in addition to their own annual ISA subscription.
Option 3: Receive the money (encashment)
The investments can be sold, and the money paid into a nominated bank account. An encashment form will need to be completed, which we can send you.
Pension Investment Account (PIA)
The investments will be sold when we receive written confirmation of the deceased’s passing. The money (cash) can either be paid as a lump sum or in some circumstances provide an income. There are a variety of options available, we’ll contact you to discuss the options further.
If your client is applying for Grant of Probate, Certificate of Confirmation (Scotland) or Letters of Administration, please advise us and confirm who is acting as Executor. In some circumstances, we may require sight of the original document before payment can be made.