We use cookies
We use cookies to enhance your experience, maintain your session, and remember your preferences. Some cookies are essential for the platform to function properly. Learn more in our Privacy Policy
A compassionate guide to the immediate actions you need to take following someone's death.
Losing someone is one of the hardest things you'll ever go through. The last thing you want is to feel overwhelmed by paperwork and admin - but some things do need to happen quickly, and knowing what they are can help.
This guide walks you through what to do in the days and weeks after a death in the UK, in plain language, in the right order.
Before anything else can happen, a doctor needs to confirm the death and issue a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD). You'll need this to register the death.
How to get it depends on where the death occurred:
Scotland: The certificate is called the same thing, a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD), but the process may involve the procurator fiscal if the death was sudden or unexplained.
You must register the death at a register office in the area where the death occurred, not necessarily where the deceased lived. You'll need to book an appointment.
Deadlines to be aware of:
| Jurisdiction | Deadline |
|---|---|
| England & Wales | 5 days |
| Scotland | 8 days |
| Northern Ireland | 5 days |
Don't worry if you can't find all of these, the registrar will let you know what's essential.
Tell Us Once: When you register the death in England, Wales, or Scotland, ask the registrar about the Tell Us Once service. It lets you inform multiple government departments, including HMRC, DVLA, DWP, and the Passport Office, in a single step. It's a significant time saver. Note: Tell Us Once is not available in Northern Ireland, where you'll need to contact each department separately.
Once you have the burial or cremation certificate, you can contact a funeral director. Most funerals take place within 1–2 weeks of the death, though there's no fixed deadline.
Who makes the decisions?
On costs: Funeral expenses are paid from the estate before any other debts or distributions. If money is tight, some banks will release funds directly to cover funeral costs before a grant of probate is in place, it's worth calling the deceased's bank early.
If you're on a low income, you may be able to apply for a Funeral Expenses Payment from the government (if you're receiving certain benefits).
This is emotionally hard. You don't have to do it alone. Consider asking a trusted person to help make calls, or creating a simple phone tree so the news spreads without you having to repeat it dozens of times.
Start gathering the key paperwork, you'll need it for the estate administration process that follows. Look for:
Don't panic if you can't find everything straight away, this is an ongoing process that unfolds over weeks and months.
If the deceased lived alone:
Contact the deceased's banks and building societies as soon as you can. They will freeze the accounts, which stops money going out on direct debits. This is important: you don't want bills racking up unchallenged.
Most banks will need:
Each institution has its own process. Some will release small amounts for funeral costs without requiring a grant of probate; others will not release anything until probate is granted. Ask the question early.
Beyond the banks, work through this list:
Notify promptly:
Notify within a few weeks:
Any benefits the deceased was receiving will stop. But you may also become eligible for support:
Once the immediate tasks are handled, the longer process of administering the estate begins. This involves:
This process typically takes 9–12 months from start to finish. There's no need to rush, you have time to do it properly.
No will? If the deceased didn't leave a will, the estate is distributed according to the intestacy rules, which follow a fixed legal order. Importantly, cohabiting partners have no automatic right to inherit under intestacy, even after many years together. If this applies, you may want to take legal advice early.
Being named as an executor is a significant responsibility. You're legally responsible for collecting the estate's assets, paying debts, and distributing what remains to beneficiaries. Executors can be personally liable if they distribute the estate incorrectly, for example, before all debts and taxes have been settled.
If the estate is straightforward, many executors manage the process themselves. If it involves significant assets, property, business interests, foreign assets, or a disputed will, it's worth taking professional legal advice.
The practical tasks are real, but so is the grief. It's easy to lose yourself in admin and not give yourself space to process the loss.
Support is available:
This guide covers general information for England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Estate administration rules vary by jurisdiction. For complex estates — including those with significant assets, foreign property, or potential Inheritance Tax liability — we recommend taking advice from a qualified solicitor or probate specialist.