How to find details of bank accounts and more

Bank name, account number and account type (current, savings, cash ISA, etc) can be found on the latest bank statement.

For other policies, pensions and so on, check the latest letters, statements or policy documents.

One of the most important pieces of information is the account, policy or customer reference number, which will identify the deceased.

You should refer to this number when you contact the institution in question.

Joint accounts

Typically, it is easy to spot whether the account is a joint account. It will be a joint account if it is held in more than one name.

If it is a joint account, the deceased’s share will probably be 50% if there were two owners, 33% if three, and so on. See our guide “Valuing the share of a jointly owned bank account”.

Joint accounts are either held as “joint tenants” or “tenants in common”. The vast majority will be held as joint tenants. If you are unsure, see our guide “How to tell if bank accounts, shares, etc are held as joint tenants or tenants in common”.