How to let us know
Anyone can inform us of a bereavement by letter, email or telephone. Call charges may vary.The person notifying us can also nominate someone else for us to share information with, if required.
- Phone: 0345 279 1001
- Post: abrdn Client Servicing, Sunderland, SR43 4EE
When you do contact us, we will 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
- 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)
Once we are notified
- We will stop all withdrawals and contributions on all products in the account
- We will halt all trading. Any funds that cannot be held on Platform are sold into cash (such as portfolios managed by discretionary managers)
- For Wrap cash, Personal Portfolio, ISA, Offshore Bond, Onshore Bond: We will stop charges (including adviser charges) from the date of death. These products may remain invested until we receive instructions from the executor. If the bond has surviving members, then the charges will continue (as the product will continue). For single Person Assured or Life Assured, bonds are terminated on notification and the monies held
- For SIPP: The scheme administrator will sell all viable funds into cash and stop charges (including adviser charges) from date of death. Some charges can continue (such as property charges)
- We will inform the adviser of the death (if they are not the party who notified us)
Legal documents we’ll need to complete processing
In all cases, we will require a Registrar’s copy of the Death Certificate or an Interim Death Certificate. In addition, we will need the following:If death in England / Wales / Ireland:
- Grant of Probate (or)
- Letters of Administration (or)
- Form of Indemnity and Certified copy of Will (if account value at date of death is less than £75k, or for Onshore Bonds, less than £15k)
If death in Scotland:
- Certificate of Confirmation (or)
- Letters of Administration (or)
- Form of Indemnity and Certified copy of Will (if account value at date of death is less than £75k, or for Onshore Bonds, less than £15k)
This table summarises what is required for each product.
| Wrap Cash | Personal Portfolio | ISA | SIPP | Offshore Bond | Onshore Bond | |
| Death Certificate | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Grant of Probate (or) Letters of Administration | £75k+ | £75k+ | £75k+ | - | Y | £15k+ |
| Indemnity Form (and) Certified Copy of Will | Under £75k | Under £75k | Under £75k | - | - | Under £15k |
*In Scotland, Grant of Probate is replaced with Certificate of Confirmation.
When sending documents, please include a return address so we can return any original documents and Registrar’s copies to you in the post by recorded delivery as quickly as possible. Other copies of documents are not returned, unless requested. If you face any issues when trying to access documents or send them to us, you should contact us for more support.
Once we have received all required legal documentation, we will issue the following information within ten working days:
- The valuation of the deceased’s account at the date of death
- The Requirements Letter, detailing the options available
- The forms for the executor to instruct us how to settle the account
Please note that these will only be issued to the person/s dealing with the administration of the estate (or their representatives).
Let us know your preferred option and we’ll carry out your instructions
For products within the deceased’s estate, instructions are given to us using the Settlement Form (which must be signed by all executors). Because of this, the value of the account at date of death may be different to the value of the account at date of settlement. The exception to this is with the SIPP (which is not included in the estate). Generally, products can be processed in three ways:- Encashment: Investments are sold down into cash and then paid either to a verified bank account, a different abrdn account or to the account of an external provider. This option has an avg. ten working day turnaround time.
- In-specie Transfer: Investments are moved (re-registered) from the deceased account to a different abrdn account or to the account of a third party. This option has an avg. 30 working day turnaround time.
- Combinations of the above are also possible.
For ISAs there may also be an option for an Additional Permitted Subscription (APS). This extra allowance will be the same as the amount in the deceased’s ISA on date of death or the value of the ISA when it ceases to be a Continuing ISA. This results in an increased contribution limit for a surviving spouse. If the recipient qualifies, this can be applied for using the Additional Permitted Subscription application form. If this is part of a transfer to an external provider, abrdn will contact the provider on the recipient’s behalf.
Download the Additional Permitted Subscription application form
Once settlement has completed, we will issue the Confirmation Letter, detailing what has been done and commence monitoring of the deceased’s account for residual monies for 13 months. These monies are incidental payments that may be made into the accounts from various sources (such as outstanding dividend payments). We will process these payments as per the instructions in the Settlement Form.
Further reading on Techzone:
Dealing with investments after death (such as cash, shares, unit trusts, OEICs, bonds and ISAs)
DC scheme death benefits (Defined Contribution pensions)
DB scheme death benefits (Defined Benefit pensions)
Bypass trusts
Introductory guide to IHT
Download the Additional Permitted Subscription application form
Once settlement has completed, we will issue the Confirmation Letter, detailing what has been done and commence monitoring of the deceased’s account for residual monies for 13 months. These monies are incidental payments that may be made into the accounts from various sources (such as outstanding dividend payments). We will process these payments as per the instructions in the Settlement Form.
Further reading on Techzone:
Dealing with investments after death (such as cash, shares, unit trusts, OEICs, bonds and ISAs)
DC scheme death benefits (Defined Contribution pensions)
DB scheme death benefits (Defined Benefit pensions)
Bypass trusts
Introductory guide to IHT