Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits for relatives of the recently deceased of requiring all UK registered financial institutions to register with the Death Notification Service.

Protecting vulnerable consumers, including those impacted by bereavement, is a key priority for the Government, and the Government expects the fair treatment of vulnerable consumers to be taken seriously by firms, and embedded into their culture, policies and processes.

The Death Notification Service (DNS) was launched in 2018 by members of the trade body UK Finance, to allow consumers to notify a number of financial institutions of a person's death, at the same time. It aims to make the process easier for those who have suffered a bereavement. At present, 24 financial services companies take part in the service, including major retail banks and building societies. While the Government is supportive of the DNS, it is fully independent from Government and membership of the service is currently voluntary.