Bereavements

There are three key steps that you need to take within those first few days and these have been summarised below:

1. You’ll need to register the death at any local registry office (within 5 days in England and Wales and 8 days in Scotland). For Government advice on how to register a death and to locate your nearest registry office go to www.gov.uk/register-a-death.
2. You will need to contact a Funeral Director who should be able to guide you through all of your options for arranging a funeral. Citizens Advice recommends finding a Funeral Director through a professional association, such as the National Association of Funeral Directors.
3. Funerals can be expensive and so funds from the deceased’s account can be used to cover some funeral expenses if required. We will issue cheques directly to the funeral director (see the section ‘Paying urgent bills’).

As mentioned a member of our team is on hand to talk you through the first steps. Please do contact them for any advice and support.

If you need to let us know that your loved one has passed away you can do this by using one of the following methods:

• Visiting any of our branches located in Chorley High Street, Chorley Foxhole Road or Leyland.
• Telephoning us on 01257 235003 where you will be able to speak directly to a member of the Savings team.
• Emailing us at savers@chorleybs.co.uk
• Or writing to us at our Head Office address:
  The Chorley Building Society
  Key House
  Foxhole Road
  Chorley
  PR7 1NZ

We will ask you to provide us with one of the following:

• The original death certificate or a copy certified by a solicitor
• A coroner’s interim certificate
• A death certificate verification form (from your solicitor)

If you are planning to visit a branch it is best to call us to make an appointment to ensure that there is a private space available.

The laws governing the protection of personal data mean we are only able to discuss the account information with you if you are the deceased’s next of kin or a personal representative. Unless you are an existing customer we will require one form of identification. Details of acceptable identification can be found here so please bring this with you when you come to the branch. If you are dealing with us by telephone, email or post you can send a certified copy of your identification to us via email or post.

Once we have been advised about a death, all payments to and from the account will be frozen.

30.03.2020 – Due to the current pandemic of COVID-19, we will accept scanned and certified documentation which can be sent to us using the savers@chorleybs.co.uk email address. Before any funds can be released however, we do require the original documents.

If an account is held in joint names, the account will automatically pass to the other account holder.

If the total balance of the estate exceeds the amount of £15,000 we will require probate or letters of administration to be obtained.

These are obtained by completing the required forms and submitting them to the probate office. More information can be found at www.gov.uk/applying-for-probate

If there are two or more personal representatives named on the Probate or Letters of Administration then all parties must sign to close the account or make any withdrawals and we need to see identification for all parties/representative/s (identification is not required for existing Members) who are dealing with the transaction. Details of acceptable identification can be found here.

Where the total estate is below £15,000 the Society’s Statutory Declaration form should be completed. The form must be completed in full by the beneficiary/s of the deceased estate.

Signing the form must then be witnessed by a Commissioner for Oaths or Solicitor and they must complete Section 4 of the form to confirm this.

Funds can be accessed immediately by the next of kin or personal representative/s for urgent bills however these are limited to funeral costs, inheritance tax or probate fees and an invoice must be provided. The Society will issue a cheque payable to the relevant organisation.

Withdrawals can be requested in branch, or by writing to us at our Head Office.

30.03.2020 Due to the current pandemic of COVID-19, we will also accept withdrawal requests by calling us on 01257 235003 or via email at savers@chorleybs.co.uk

How other funds are accessed depends on the balance of the estate. For balances below £15,000 once the completed Statutory Declaration form is completed we will make funds available to the beneficiary.

For balances above £15,000 a request to close the account must be provided by all representatives named on Probate or the Letters of Administration. If not an existing Member identification must be provided.

Withdrawals can be requested and certified identification can be sent to any of our 3 branches or by writing to us at our Head Office address.

30.03.2020 – Due to the current pandemic of COVID-19, once all checks have been completed and are satisfied we will allow electronic withdrawals which can be requested by telephone to the beneficiary/s personal current account.