How do I pay for the deceased’s bills?

Bank accounts and other assets in the sole name of the person who has died are usually “frozen” from the death until the personal representatives obtain a grant of probate or letters of administration. If the person who has died paid household bills, then the other members of the household may be worried about how to manage between the death and the grant. There are various ways of dealing with this problem, for example:

• If a member of the household had a joint account with the person who has died, that account can be used to pay bills. See the section on joint accounts.
• It may be possible to borrow from a family member or from the bank.
• If the person who has died had life insurance or was a member of a pension scheme, a lump sum may be payable soon after the death.

It is a good idea to contact a solicitor or the CAB for advice on the different options.

A comprehensive article on this and related issues can be found here on our website by following this link.