Removing a Dependant or Spouse From SHA

What this means

Your SHA account lists the people covered under your household — your spouse(s), children and any other recognised dependants. Removing someone from that list is treated as a formal change to your record, not something done casually, because it affects who can access cover and claims under your account.

Why someone might be removed from your SHA record

Households change over time — a marriage ends, a dependant passes away, or someone was added to the account incorrectly in the first place. SHA's framework recognises these situations and provides for amendments, including removal of a previously listed spouse or dependant.

The reason for removal usually determines what is expected to support it. A divorce is different from a death, which is different from correcting an error made at registration.

What tends to be asked for

Where a marriage has ended, a decree absolute is the document generally associated with removing a spouse. Where a beneficiary has died, a death certificate (or a decree presuming death, in some circumstances) supports deregistration. Each situation has its own supporting document, and bringing the wrong one can stall the change.

Because removing a spouse or dependant alters who is covered under the account, verification steps such as an OTP sent to a registered phone number are part of the process, alongside the Remove Dependant or Remove Spouse feature on the digital channels.

Multiple spouses and partial changes

Where more than one spouse is linked to an account, each spouse's registration is handled separately — so removing one does not affect the others. If you only need to update details for one dependant rather than remove them entirely, that is a different kind of change and doesn't require the same removal step.

What happens after removal

Once someone is removed, they're no longer linked to that household's cover. If they need cover going forward, they would need to be registered under their own account or correctly linked elsewhere. SHA Desk sees this come up often after divorce or separation, where a former spouse needs to be registered independently.

Why you may be seeing it

• Keeping the household record accurate matters for both parties' access to cover.
• The documentation required depends on the specific reason for removal.
• Verification steps exist to prevent someone being removed without the account holder's knowledge.
• An incomplete or mismatched document is a common reason a removal request doesn't go through smoothly.

Common situations

Common mistakes

• Assuming any document explaining the situation will be accepted, rather than the specific one associated with that type of change.
• Not checking that the registered phone number is reachable for OTP verification.
• Forgetting that a removed spouse or dependant may need separate registration to retain cover.

Common questions