Closing online accounts after a death: banking, gaming, betting and subscription accounts

When someone dies, their online life does not automatically stop. Banks, retailers, gaming services and subscription sites will keep the account running until you tell them otherwise. Some accounts are a legal obligation to close (usually financial ones). Others are optional but worth closing to prevent fraud or unwanted charges. Here is how to handle each type, and what paperwork you will need.

Why close accounts at all?

Safety. Leaving an account open with a stored payment method creates a fraud risk. An inactive account with a credit or debit card attached can be compromised if the person’s username and email address have been leaked in a data breach (which is far more common than people realise).

Money. Subscription services (streaming, gaming, apps) will keep charging until the account is closed. Even a £5-a-month subscription becomes £60 a year.

Inheritance and probate. If the person left money in an account, it must be closed or transferred as part of settling their estate. A lawyer dealing with probate will flag this.

Legacy and privacy. Gaming accounts, forums and social media may hold personal content you would rather not leave online indefinitely.

Financial accounts: banking and investment

These must be closed. Bank accounts, building society accounts, investment accounts and PayPal-type services are the legal responsibility of the executor or administrator of the estate.

What you will need:

• The death certificate (or a certified copy).
• Probate documents (the Grant of Probate, or letters of administration if there was no will). The bank will not move money or close the account without these, except in cases where the balance is very small or the account is a joint account.
• Proof of your identity and your role (birth certificate, for example, if you are a beneficiary, or a solicitor’s letter if a lawyer is handling the estate).
• The deceased’s account number and sort code.

What to do:

1. Ring the bank’s bereavement team. Most banks have a dedicated line. Search the bank’s website for “bereavement” or “when someone dies”.
2. Explain that you are an executor or beneficiary and that the person has died.
3. Ask what paperwork they need. Most banks will send a form or a list of documents to return.
4. Send the documents by post (not email, for security). Banks are slow; allow 4 to 6 weeks.
5. Ask about any money in the account. Some banks will freeze it while probate is being sorted; others will release it to you once probate is granted.

If there is very little money (often under £5,000): Some banks will close the account and send a final statement without waiting for formal probate. Ask explicitly; the rules vary by bank.

Gaming and betting accounts

These are optional but recommended. Gaming accounts (Steam, PlayStation Network, Xbox, Nintendo Switch Online) and betting sites do not have to be closed by law, but it is sensible to do so.

What you will need:

• The death certificate.
• Proof that you are a close relative or executor (a copy of probate, or a solicitor’s letter).
• If you are a close relative but not an executor, some services may ask you to provide a “next of kin” letter or will excerpt showing you are entitled to contact them on the deceased’s behalf.

What to do:

1. Log in to the account if you have the password, or use the “forgot password” function to reset it. This is faster than contacting the company.
2. If you cannot access the account, contact the service’s customer support. Search the website for “account closure” or “death” (many large services now have a dedicated process for this).
3. Explain the situation and provide the death certificate and proof of your role.
4. Ask about any money held in the account (account credit, gambling winnings held in the account, or subscription pre-payments). Most services will refund unused credit to the card or bank account on file.
5. Ask for confirmation in writing when the account is closed.

Important: Do not delete the account if there is money in it. Deletion often forfeits the balance. Closure is the safer option.

Subscription services and apps

These are optional but worth doing. Streaming services (Netflix, Spotify, Disney+), app subscriptions, magazine subscriptions and similar services will keep charging until stopped.

What you will need:

• The email address and password for the account (or a way to reset the password).
• Usually nothing else. Subscription services rarely ask for a death certificate.

What to do:

1. Log in.
2. Find the account settings or subscription section.
3. Look for “cancel subscription” or “close account”.
4. Follow the on-screen steps. Most services will ask why you are leaving (and will sometimes offer discounts to stay — you can ignore these).
5. Check that the service has confirmed cancellation by email.

If you are billing on the account: If you are paying for a subscription used by the deceased (for example, a family Netflix account), you may not need to close it. You can simply remove the deceased’s profile from the service and keep using your own. Check the service’s help pages for “manage family members” or “remove a profile”.

Email and social media

These are optional. Email, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and similar services do not have to be closed, but many people prefer to delete the person’s online presence.

Closing a Gmail, Outlook or Yahoo email account:

• Log in if you can, and look for “delete account” in settings.
• If you cannot log in, use the “account recovery” process (you may be asked security questions or to verify your identity).
• Once deleted, the email address becomes inactive, but the data is usually deleted within weeks.
• You will lose access to any other accounts that use this email address for login. Check whether the deceased’s bank, insurance or other important services are tied to this email, and change those first if you can.

Closing social media: Most platforms let you delete the account directly if you can log in. If you cannot, they usually have a form for relatives. Search the platform for “death” or “memorialisation” (Facebook uses the word “memorialise” to mean turning an account into a tribute page, which is different from deletion).

Important: Social media can be a source of comfort for some people. If the deceased had close friends or a community on the platform, you might consider leaving the profile up, or choosing memorialisation rather than deletion. This is a family decision and there is no right answer.

What not to do

Do not:

• Delete passwords or account information before closing the accounts. You may need this information to access the account or to prove you have permission to act.
• Assume an account is closed just because you have stopped using it. Subscriptions and stored payment methods are often still active.
• Ignore bills or statements. If the deceased’s bank account is generating charges (overdraft fees, or service charges on a closed account), these can be disputed if the account should have been closed, but only if you raise it promptly.
• Share passwords with others or make changes to the account on behalf of someone else without proper authority (letters of administration or probate). This can be treated as fraud by the service.

Timescale

Work through accounts in this order:

1. First priority: Bank accounts and building society accounts (these need formal probate).
2. Second priority: Any account with a stored payment method: subscriptions, gaming, betting, PayPal (do these as soon as you have the death certificate, to prevent fraud or unwanted charges).
3. Third priority: Email and social media (these can wait until you have time).

Allow 4 to 6 weeks for banks. Other services are usually faster (1 to 3 weeks).

Key points

• Bank and investment accounts must be closed as part of settling the estate. You will need probate or letters of administration.
• Gaming and betting accounts should be closed to prevent fraud. Most will refund unused credit.
• Subscription services will keep charging until cancelled. You do not usually need a death certificate to cancel these.
• Email and social media can be deleted, memorialised, or left as is, depending on your preference.
• Gather the death certificate first; it is the one document all services may ask for.
• Keep written confirmation when an account is closed.

Frequently asked questions

Can I access the account without the password? You can use “forgot password” to reset it. If the email address is yours, you can do this immediately. If the email is no longer active, services are usually slower but have a process for this; contact their customer support.

Do I have to close every account? No. Gaming, betting and subscription accounts are optional. Bank accounts are a legal obligation if there is money in them. Social media and email are optional and can be left as a memorial if you prefer.

What if there is money in the account? Tell the service immediately. Most services (gaming, betting, subscriptions) will refund unused credit to the original payment method. Banks and investment accounts will hold the money as part of the estate until probate is completed.

How do I prove I have the right to close the account? For financial accounts, you need probate. For others, a death certificate and a letter from a solicitor, or a copy of probate, usually suffices. Contact the service and ask what they accept.

Can I keep the gaming account to play games myself, or use the subscription? Yes. If you are an account owner and want to keep using the account yourself, you can simply update the account information and keep paying for it. There is no legal obligation to stop.

What about cryptocurrency or online wallets? Treat these like bank accounts. They hold money and should be part of the estate settlement. Contact the service’s support team and ask for their bereavement process.

Information is as of October 2026. Account closure processes change; before starting, visit the service’s official website to see the current process for your country and the specific service.