Managing the Estate

The legal and financial process of settling what someone left behind: probate, intestacy, tax, and administration.

What happens to debt when you die in the UK

This guide explains who pays the debts of the person who died, which debts get paid first, what happens to specific debts such as a mortgage or a credit card, and what an executor should do to avoid becoming personally liable.

8 min read

What happens to a bank account when someone dies in the UK

This guide explains what happens to sole and joint accounts, how to notify the bank, whether you need probate to get the money, and what to watch for while an account is frozen.

8 min read

What to do if you find accounts after probate has been granted

If you find a bank account or other asset after probate has been granted, you almost never need a new grant to deal with it. The grant of probate already covers the whole estate, not only the assets you listed when you applied, so you can use the grant you hold to collect the newly found account. The extra work sits in two places: telling HMRC through a corrective account if the value changes the inheritance tax position, and, where the estate has already been shared out, bringing the money back in before it can be distributed properly.

10 min read

What does an executor of a will do? A UK guide to the role, duties and liability

An executor is the person named in a will to deal with everything someone leaves behind. The legal term is personal representative. The job is to gather the estate, pay any debts and tax, and pass what's left to the people named in the will. An executor has no authority until the person dies, and being named is not the same as being obliged to act.

8 min read

Capital gains tax on inherited property in the UK

You don't pay capital gains tax when you inherit a property. You may pay it if you later sell for more than the property was worth on the day the person died. That date-of-death figure, the probate value, becomes your starting point. Capital gains tax is charged only on the increase between the probate value and the sale price, after allowable costs and your tax-free allowance.

8 min read

Deed of variation: how to change who inherits from an estate in the UK

This guide explains how a deed of variation works, why families use one, who has to agree, and what it cannot do.

7 min read

Widow's pension UK: what replaced it and what you can claim now

The old name has stuck around, which is why people still search for it. This guide explains what happened to the widow's pension, what has taken its place, and what you can actually claim today.

7 min read

Next of kin in the UK: what it means and what you're responsible for when someone dies

This guide explains what next of kin means, who counts, what you can and cannot do, and where your real responsibilities begin once someone has died.

7 min read

How to Register a Death in the UK: Step by Step

This guide explains who registers the death, when, where, what you need to bring, and what you walk away with.

10 min read

Death in service benefit UK: how it works and how to claim

This guide explains how death in service benefit works, who decides where the money goes, how to claim after a death, and what employers and HR teams can do to make claims faster.

7 min read

The 7 year rule for inheritance tax: how gifts before death are treated

This guide explains how the 7 year rule actually works in practice, where the common mistakes are, and what changed in the 2025 Autumn Budget.

6 min read

Letters of administration UK: when you need them, who can apply, and how

This guide covers when letters of administration are needed, who can apply, the order of priority, how the process works in England and Wales, and what it costs in 2026.

8 min read

Grant of probate UK: what it is, when you need one, and how to apply

This guide covers what a grant of probate is, when you need one, who applies, how the application works in England and Wales, and what it costs in 2026.

6 min read

What happens to a bank account when someone dies in the UK: payments, frozen accounts, and what gets refunded

When a UK bank or building society is told that an account holder has died, the account is usually frozen the same day. Direct debits and standing orders are cancelled. Joint accounts are an exception and pass to the surviving holder. For sole accounts above the bank's small estates threshold, you will need a Grant of Probate before the funds can be released or transferred.

14 min read

How to value an estate for probate in the UK

This guide walks through the steps in order, with enough detail to see the process through from start to finish without getting lost.

8 min read

What happens to a pension when someone dies in the UK

This guide explains how each type of pension pays out, what the executor or beneficiary needs to do, and what the major changes coming in April 2027 mean for families.

10 min read

The residence nil rate band: how it works and what it could save you

The rules are more complicated than that headline suggests. The RNRB applies only in certain circumstances, tapers away for larger estates, and has several edge cases that catch families out. This guide explains how it works, who qualifies, and what practical steps matter when an estate involves a family home.

9 min read

Inheritance tax threshold UK 2026: what you need to know

This guide explains what the threshold is, how it combines with other allowances, and what to check if you are dealing with an estate that may be close to the limit.

8 min read

What happens to a joint mortgage when one partner dies in the UK

This guide explains what happens on death, what the surviving partner needs to do, and what the realistic options are if the mortgage is suddenly unaffordable on one income.

10 min read

What happens to Premium Bonds when someone dies in the UK

When the holder dies, Premium Bonds do not pass to anyone automatically. They cannot be transferred into a beneficiary's name. They sit outside the Tell Us Once service, which means no government notification will reach NS&I. The executor has to contact NS&I directly, and has a decision to make about whether to cash the bonds in immediately or leave them in the monthly prize draw for up to a year. This guide explains how the process works, what the options are, and what the executor actually needs to do.

9 min read

What happens to an ISA when someone dies in the UK

This guide covers cash ISAs, stocks and shares ISAs, Innovative Finance ISAs and Lifetime ISAs. Junior ISAs work differently and cannot be inherited as an ISA, so they are covered separately at the end.

9 min read

What happens to direct debits and standing orders when someone dies in the UK

When someone dies, their bank account does not freeze itself. Until the bank is told, direct debits and standing orders keep running. Subscriptions renew. Insurance premiums are collected. Utility payments go out on schedule. Money leaves the account as if nothing has changed.

8 min read

What happens to energy and water bills when someone dies in a property they rented?

When someone dies while living in a rented property, their energy and water bills don't simply stop, but the situation is different in important ways from when a property is owned.

6 min read

What happens to energy and water bills when someone dies in a property they owned?

When someone dies and leaves behind a property they owned, one of the many practical questions families face is: what happens to the gas, electricity and water bills?

5 min read

What is probate?

Most people encounter it for the first time while dealing with a bereavement. The name does not help much. This guide explains what probate actually involves, when it is needed, who does it, and what happens if there is no will.

7 min read

My Lost Account UK: how it works and what it does not find

Most people searching for it fall into one of two situations: they have found references to an account that may no longer be active, or they are dealing with the estate of someone who has died and need to find accounts they did not know existed. This guide explains how the service works, what it covers, and where it falls short.

7 min read

What happens to bills when someone dies

When someone dies, their bills do not stop. Gas, electricity, water, broadband, TV Licence, council tax: each one continues until someone contacts the provider and tells them. The accounts stay open, the charges keep running, and if a direct debit was paying them, it may keep going too until the bank is notified.

8 min read

Intestacy rules UK: who inherits when there is no will

Dying intestate means dying without a valid will. The intestacy rules then determine who is entitled to the estate: what order people inherit in, and how much each person receives.

8 min read

Executor of a will: duties, timeline and what you can delegate

An executor of a will is the person named to carry out the wishes in the will and settle the estate of the person who died. The executor duties are administrative, legal and financial: find and value everything the deceased owned, pay any debts and tax, and pass what is left to the people named in the will. You can be an executor and a beneficiary at the same time, and most people who take on the role have never done it before.

9 min read

Letters of administration: what they are and how to apply

This guide explains what letters of administration are, who can apply, what the process involves, and how long it takes.

6 min read

Does Debt Die With You? What Happens to Debt After a Death in the UK

This guide explains who pays, what happens when the estate cannot cover the debts, how joint debts work, and the order in which debts get settled.

10 min read

How long does probate take in the UK?

This guide explains what affects probate timescales, what a realistic timeline looks like at each stage, and what typically causes delays.

7 min read

Pension Tracing Service UK: how it works and what to do next

It does one thing: it gives you a contact address or phone number for a pension scheme. Finding the contact is only the first step. Whether you have a pension with that scheme, and what it might be worth, is something only the scheme itself can tell you.

7 min read

View all guides

Managing the Estate

The legal and financial process of settling what someone left behind: probate, intestacy, tax, and administration.

What happens to debt when you die in the UK

What happens to a bank account when someone dies in the UK

What to do if you find accounts after probate has been granted

What does an executor of a will do? A UK guide to the role, duties and liability

Capital gains tax on inherited property in the UK

Deed of variation: how to change who inherits from an estate in the UK

Widow's pension UK: what replaced it and what you can claim now

Next of kin in the UK: what it means and what you're responsible for when someone dies

How to Register a Death in the UK: Step by Step

Death in service benefit UK: how it works and how to claim

The 7 year rule for inheritance tax: how gifts before death are treated

Letters of administration UK: when you need them, who can apply, and how

Grant of probate UK: what it is, when you need one, and how to apply

What happens to a bank account when someone dies in the UK: payments, frozen accounts, and what gets refunded

How to value an estate for probate in the UK

What happens to a pension when someone dies in the UK

The residence nil rate band: how it works and what it could save you

Inheritance tax threshold UK 2026: what you need to know

What happens to a joint mortgage when one partner dies in the UK

What happens to Premium Bonds when someone dies in the UK

What happens to an ISA when someone dies in the UK

What happens to direct debits and standing orders when someone dies in the UK

What happens to energy and water bills when someone dies in a property they rented?

What happens to energy and water bills when someone dies in a property they owned?

What is probate?

My Lost Account UK: how it works and what it does not find

What happens to bills when someone dies

Intestacy rules UK: who inherits when there is no will

Executor of a will: duties, timeline and what you can delegate

Letters of administration: what they are and how to apply

Does Debt Die With You? What Happens to Debt After a Death in the UK

How long does probate take in the UK?

Pension Tracing Service UK: how it works and what to do next

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