National Savings and Investments (NS&I) announced it will begin reaching out to the estates of deceased savers whose money was not returned after a berevement claim error. the Treasury‑backed institution will start the outreach next week and aims to complete all refunds by the first half of 2027.

£10 threshold triggers direct contact with personal representatives

NS&I said it will directly approach personal representatives and executors of estates that held £10 or more at the time of death. The bank promises that families and beneficiaries need not take any action; the refunds will be processed automatically.

Refunds to be paid over several months, ending by mid‑2027

According to the report, the repayment programme will run through the coming months, with the final payments expected before June 2027. This extended timeline reflects the volume of affected accounts and the administrative steps required to verify each estate.

What caused the original repayment error?

The source notes the issue stemmed from a systems glitch that prevented the automatic return of funds after a bereavement claim was filed. nS&I has not disclosed how many accounts were impacted, but the policy applies to any holding of £10 or more.

Who remains uncontacted and why?

Estate holders with balances under £10 will not receive a direct call, though they may still be eligible for a refund if they raise the matter. The bank has not explained why the lower‑value threshold was chosen, leavig a small group of beneficiaries in a grey area.

Open question: How will NS&I verify executor identities?

While NS&I assures families that no action is required, the mechanics of confirming personal representatives remain unclear. The report does not detail whether additional documentation will be requested, which could affect the speed of payouts.