Barclay's Bank Bereavement Letter-Unwilling to release funds for funeral

[andrewmr]

I'm helping someone to sort out the affairs of her dead father. He has £2,000 in his current account and has a credit card debt of £3,000 all to Barclay's Bank.
Barclay's have send her a letter to sign that clearly states that they will only pay her after they have been paid. Which would mean that there would be nothing to cover the funeral costs. The way I see it is that she as the Administrator of her dead fathers estate should be able to get this money with no strings attached to cover the funeral costs. Barclay's credit card should not have any preferential treatment and should be treated the same as any other creditor. Can anybody advise me about this.

[enaid]

Re: Barclay's Bank Bereavement Letter-Unwilling to release funds for funeral

Funeral expenses are the first charge on the estate which means payment of them has priority over any other debts, Barclays will probably ask for the invoice from the funeral directors before they release the funds.
Check if there is any PPI on the credit card with death cover if so then that should pay off the card.

[andrewmr]

Re: Barclay's Bank Bereavement Letter-Unwilling to release funds for funeral

No go with the Barclays, Staff in branch Don't know anything. Put me on the phone to their Barclays Bereavement Centre who still insist that the £2K in the deceased's current account will go against the £3K Bcard debt.
Gave them the letter of First Appropriation nobody knows what it means. Told them it meant that they got to give us the money.
Sending copy of the Letter of Appropriation direct to the Barclays' Bereavement centre (rob the dead centre).
Next will draft letters to Banking Ombudsman and BCOBS.
Could dNo with some media help. Anybody working for the press/TV news etc?
Who is the head guy in Barclays and his address?

[enaid]

Re: Barclay's Bank Bereavement Letter-Unwilling to release funds for funeral

Has the funeral been fully paid for by other means ?
I understood this to be the money was to pay for the funeral.

[andrewmr]

Re: Barclay's Bank Bereavement Letter-Unwilling to release funds for funeral

No We are still waiting for the body to be released by the Coroner.
So we need to stomp up about £3K for a basic funeral and cremation.
So we need the money to pay for the funeral.

[enaid]

Re: Barclay's Bank Bereavement Letter-Unwilling to release funds for funeral

As I said before

Debt should be paid off in this order

1. funeral costs
2. death taxes
3. secured debts
4. unsecured debts, for example credit cards

Outstanding debts must be paid off (by the deceased's estate) in priority order before anything can be given to anyone named in the will, or until the money runs out.

Not enough money to pay off debt

Lenders cannot claim if the deceased estate is not large enough to cover the debts (for example, no assets or savings).

So the funeral comes first and the bank will have to pay the Funeral Director thier costs out of the estate before they can claim any money for a credit card which is actually last in the list of debts to be paid order. So you may not be allowed to draw the money out but they can not refuse his funeral bill. Hopes this helps.

[Amethyst]

Re: Barclay's Bank Bereavement Letter-Unwilling to release funds for funeral

Do you know the legislation this comes from Nelly ?

[enaid]

Re: Barclay's Bank Bereavement Letter-Unwilling to release funds for funeral

Do you know the legislation this comes from Nelly ?

The funeral expenses are the first charge on the estate which means payment of them takes priority over any other debts. Some asset holders, such as banks or building societies, are willing to pay the funeral expenses from the deceased’s account before an administrator is appointed but ultimately that is a matter for them.
Before making funeral arrangements you may wish to check:

• that there are sufficient funds to pay for it
• that an asset holder is willing to settle the account from those funds

https://www.gov.uk/refer-a-deceased-...sury-solicitor


http://www.barclays.co.uk/Bereavemen...P1242633762759


http://m4rkhblog.wordpress.com/2013/...reavement-con/

[enaid]

Re: Barclay's Bank Bereavement Letter-Unwilling to release funds for funeral

Do you know the legislation this comes from Nelly ?

Where the estate of a deceased person is solvent his real and personal estate shall, subject to rules of court and the provisions hereinafter contained as to charges on property of the deceased, and to the provisions, if any, contained in his will, be applicable towards the discharge of the funeral, testamentary and administration expenses, debts and liabilities payable thereout in the order mentioned in Part II of the First Schedule to this Act.


http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/ihtmanual/ihtm12093.htm

[enquirer]

Re: Barclay's Bank Bereavement Letter-Unwilling to release funds for funeral

Follow the advice given by enaid.

Barclays behaviour is outrageous, so it may be time for an extremely stiff letter from a solicitor.