What to Do When Someone Dies UK: Complete Step-by-Step Checklist

Losing someone close to you is overwhelming, and the administrative tasks that follow can feel daunting. This comprehensive guide walks you through exactly what to do when someone dies in the UK, from the immediate first steps to long-term legal and financial matters.

We've organized this guide chronologically—from the first 24 hours through to the first few months—so you can focus on what needs to happen now and return for later steps when you're ready.

First 24 Hours: Immediate Steps

1. Get the Death Certified by a Doctor

A doctor must certify the death before anything else can proceed. What happens depends on where the death occurred:

• At home (expected death): Call the person's GP or out-of-hours doctor. They'll visit and issue a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD).
• At home (unexpected death): Call 999. Police may attend to rule out suspicious circumstances. A doctor or coroner will then certify the death.
• In hospital or care home: Hospital staff will handle certification and provide you with the MCCD.
• In a public place or accident: Emergency services will attend. The coroner will investigate and certify the death.

The MCCD is the official document confirming the cause of death. You'll need it to register the death.

2. When the Coroner Gets Involved

In certain circumstances, a coroner must investigate the death before it can be registered:

• The death was sudden, unexpected, or unexplained
• The person died violently or in suspicious circumstances
• The cause of death is unknown
• The death occurred during surgery or medical treatment
• The person died in prison or police custody

The coroner may order a post-mortem examination. This can delay the death registration and funeral arrangements by several weeks. The coroner's office will keep you updated on progress.

3. Contact a Funeral Director (Optional but Common)

Most families use a funeral director to handle the practical arrangements. They can:

• Collect the deceased from home, hospital, or care home
• Store the body in a chapel of rest until the funeral
• Arrange viewing if desired
• Handle paperwork and liaise with crematorium/cemetery
• Organize the funeral service

You can contact a funeral director immediately, even before registering the death. They'll guide you through the next steps.

Cost: Full funeral director services typically cost £2,000-£4,000, with total funeral costs (including crematorium/burial) ranging from £3,500 to £6,000+.

First Week: Register the Death and Arrange the Funeral

4. Register the Death

Legal deadline: You must register the death within 5 days in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland (8 days in Scotland).

Where to register: At the register office in the district where the death occurred (or sometimes where the deceased lived). You can find your local register office on GOV.UK.

Who can register:

• A relative who was present at the death
• A relative who was present during the final illness
• A relative living in the district where the death occurred
• A person present at the death
• The executor of the will

What you'll need to bring:

• Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) from the doctor
• The deceased's NHS medical card (if available)
• Birth certificate
• Marriage or civil partnership certificate (if applicable)
• Proof of address (utility bill, etc.)

What happens at registration:

1. The registrar records details of the death
2. You provide information about the deceased (name, date of birth, occupation, etc.)
3. The registrar issues the death certificate and other documents
4. The process takes about 30 minutes

5. Get Death Certificates

You'll receive these documents after registering the death:

• Death certificate (BD8): Official record of the death. You'll need multiple copies (typically 5-10) for banks, insurance companies, pension providers, etc.
• Certificate for Burial or Cremation (Green Form): Allows the funeral to proceed. Give this to your funeral director or crematorium.
• Certificate of Registration of Death (Form BD8) for social security: Used to claim bereavement benefits or close benefit claims.

Cost: The first death certificate is free. Additional copies cost £12.50 each (prices correct as of 2025).

How many do you need? Most people need 5-10 copies. You'll need one for each bank account, insurance policy, pension, investment account, and property sale/transfer.

6. Use the Tell Us Once Service

Tell Us Once is a free government service that notifies multiple government departments and local council services in one go. You can register after registering the death.

What it notifies:

• HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) – tax
• Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) – benefits and pensions
• Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)
• Local council – council tax, housing benefit, blue badge
• Passport Office

How to use it: The registrar will give you a Tell Us Once reference number when you register the death. You can then complete the service online at gov.uk/tell-us-once or by phone (0800 085 7308).

7. Arrange the Funeral

Once you have the Certificate for Burial or Cremation, you can finalize funeral arrangements.

Key decisions:

• Burial or cremation? Check if the deceased left wishes in their will or expressed preferences.
• Religious or non-religious service? Contact a minister, celebrant, or humanist officiant.
• Venue: Crematorium chapel, church, cemetery, or other venue?
• Date and time: Most funerals occur 1-3 weeks after death, depending on crematorium availability.
• Coffin and flowers: Choose from basic to premium options.
• Order of service: Readings, music, eulogy, etc.

Typical costs:

• Funeral director fees: £2,000-£4,000
• Cremation fees: £700-£1,200
• Burial fees: £1,500-£3,000 (including plot)
• Minister/celebrant: £150-£300
• Flowers: £100-£300
• Order of service printing: £50-£150
• Wake venue and catering: £200-£1,000+

Total: £3,500-£6,000+ depending on choices.

See our detailed guide on funeral costs in the UK for more breakdown.

First Month: Financial and Legal Matters

8. Notify Financial Institutions

You'll need to notify every organization the deceased had an account or policy with. For each, you'll need to send a copy of the death certificate.

Banks and building societies:

• Call or write to each bank where the deceased held an account
• Accounts will be frozen until probate is granted (if required)
• You may be able to access funds to pay for the funeral before probate

Credit cards and loans:

• Notify credit card companies and loan providers
• Debts are paid from the estate (not by surviving relatives, unless jointly held)
• Cancel cards and arrange repayment from estate funds

Insurance policies:

• Life insurance: Contact the provider to claim the payout
• Home insurance: Transfer or cancel if property will be empty
• Car insurance: Notify and either transfer or cancel
• Health/dental insurance: Cancel and claim any refunds

Pension providers:

• State pension: Automatically stopped via Tell Us Once
• Private/workplace pensions: Contact providers to claim lump sums or survivor benefits
• Check if there's a pension pot to be inherited

9. Claim Bereavement Benefits

If you're the spouse or civil partner of the deceased, you may be entitled to bereavement benefits:

Bereavement Support Payment:

• £2,500 lump sum plus 18 monthly payments of £100
• Or £3,500 lump sum plus 18 monthly payments of £350 (if you have dependent children or are pregnant)
• Eligibility: Your late spouse/civil partner paid National Insurance contributions
• Claim within 3 months of death (or 21 months for reduced payments)

Guardian's Allowance:

• £21.75 per week if you're bringing up a child whose parents have died
• Claim via GOV.UK or DWP

Other benefits:

• Funeral Expenses Payment (if on certain benefits): Up to £1,000 toward funeral costs
• Widowed Parent's Allowance (legacy benefit, being replaced)

More information: GOV.UK bereavement benefits

10. Cancel Subscriptions and Services

Contact utility companies, subscription services, and memberships:

• Utilities: Gas, electricity, water – transfer or close accounts
• Phone and broadband: Cancel or transfer contracts
• TV Licence: Cancel and claim refund
• Council tax: Notify council (usually via Tell Us Once)
• Subscriptions: Netflix, Spotify, gym memberships, magazines, etc.
• Clubs and societies: Golf club, social clubs, professional memberships

Keep a record of who you've contacted and when. It can take weeks to get through the full list.

11. Secure the Property

If the deceased lived alone:

• Ensure the property is secure (locks, alarms)
• Notify home insurance that property is unoccupied (some policies require this)
• Forward mail to executor or next of kin
• Arrange for regular checks if property will be empty for extended period
• Consider turning off water to prevent leaks/damage

First Few Months: Probate and Estate Administration

12. Locate the Will

The will is the legal document that sets out how the deceased wanted their estate (money, property, possessions) to be distributed.

Where to look:

• At home (safe, filing cabinet, desk)
• With their solicitor
• Stored with a bank or will storage service
• Registered with the National Will Register (nationalwillregister.co.uk)

If there's no will: The deceased died "intestate." The estate will be distributed according to intestacy rules (set by law), which prioritize spouse, children, then other relatives.

13. Identify the Executor

The will names one or more executors—people responsible for administering the estate. If you're the executor, your responsibilities include:

• Applying for probate (legal right to deal with the estate)
• Valuing the estate (property, bank accounts, investments, possessions)
• Paying debts, taxes, and bills
• Distributing assets to beneficiaries
• Filing final tax return

If there's no will, the next of kin can apply to become the "administrator" (similar role to executor).

14. Apply for Probate

What is probate? Probate is the legal process of proving the validity of the will and gaining the right to access and distribute the deceased's estate.

Do you need probate?

• Yes, if: The estate includes property, large bank accounts (over £5,000-£50,000 depending on institution), or investments
• No, if: The estate is small and all assets were jointly owned or pass automatically (e.g., joint bank account to surviving partner)

How to apply:

1. Value the estate (total assets minus debts)
2. Complete inheritance tax forms (IHT205 or IHT400 depending on estate value)
3. Apply online or by post via GOV.UK (gov.uk/applying-for-probate)
4. Pay probate application fee (£273 if estate over £5,000)
5. Receive Grant of Probate (takes 4-8 weeks typically)

Once you have the Grant of Probate, you can close bank accounts, sell property, and distribute assets.

15. Pay Inheritance Tax (If Applicable)

Inheritance Tax (IHT) is charged on estates worth over £325,000 (the "nil-rate band"). The rate is 40% on the amount above this threshold.

Exemptions and reliefs:

• Spouse/civil partner exemption: No IHT if everything left to spouse/civil partner
• Residence nil-rate band: Extra £175,000 allowance if home left to direct descendants (children/grandchildren)
• Combined allowance: Up to £500,000 per person (£1 million for married couples) tax-free if home passed to children

IHT must be paid within 6 months of death, even before probate is granted. You may need to sell assets or take out a loan to pay it.

More info: GOV.UK inheritance tax

16. Distribute the Estate

Once probate is granted, debts and taxes paid, you can distribute assets to beneficiaries as set out in the will.

Steps:

1. Close bank accounts and transfer funds to estate account
2. Sell property (if required)
3. Settle all debts and bills
4. Transfer specific gifts (jewelry, car, etc.) to named beneficiaries
5. Divide remaining estate ("residue") among beneficiaries according to will
6. Keep detailed records of all transactions
7. Provide estate accounts to beneficiaries

Estate administration can take 6-12 months (or longer for complex estates).

Bereavement Support Resources

Dealing with the practical side is only part of the challenge. Grief and bereavement support is crucial. Here are trusted UK organizations:

• Cruse Bereavement Support: Free confidential helpline (0808 808 1677) and face-to-face support – cruse.org.uk
• Samaritans: 24/7 emotional support (116 123) – samaritans.org
• Mind: Mental health support (0300 123 3393) – mind.org.uk
• Child Bereavement UK: Support for bereaved children and families (0800 028 8840) – childbereavementuk.org
• The Good Grief Trust: Directory of bereavement services – thegoodgrieftrust.org

Complete Checklist: What to Do When Someone Dies

Key Deadlines Summary

Final Thoughts

Dealing with the death of a loved one involves dozens of administrative tasks spread over many months. It's overwhelming, especially while grieving. Here are a few tips to make it more manageable:

• Don't rush: Apart from registering the death (5 days) and the funeral, most tasks can wait a few weeks.
• Ask for help: Family, friends, or professional executors/solicitors can share the burden.
• Keep detailed records: Track who you've notified, what you've paid, and when. This helps with estate administration.
• Take care of yourself: Grief is exhausting. Don't hesitate to seek bereavement support.

If you're feeling overwhelmed by the practicalities, remember that you don't have to do everything at once. Tackle tasks in stages and return to this guide as needed.