What to Do When Someone Dies
We are very sorry for your loss. This guide takes you gently through what needs doing, from the first 24 hours to the first year, so you never have to wonder what comes next. It covers the UK generally and is updated for 2026. If you would like a checklist built around your own circumstances, our free tool can do that for you.
Get Your Personalised Guide5 days
To register (Eng/Wales)
£12.50
Per death certificate
£526
Probate court fee
28 days
Tell Us Once deadline
In Scotland or Northern Ireland?
The process is a little different depending on where your loved one died. This guide covers England and Wales. If you need guidance for elsewhere in the UK:
The first 24 hours
Get the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD)
A doctor needs to confirm the death and issue the MCCD. If your loved one died at home, call their GP surgery. If they were in hospital, the hospital will arrange it for you. If the death was sudden or unexplained, it may be referred to a coroner (or the Procurator Fiscal in Scotland), which can take a little longer.
Make their home secure
If they lived on their own, lock the property up, check the heating is on so the pipes do not freeze in winter, and clear out any food that will spoil. Let a trusted neighbour know if that feels right. Collect the post, and move anything valuable out of sight of the windows.
Find the will
Have a look at home, and ask their solicitor or their bank. You can also search the National Will Register (nationalwillregister.co.uk, around £30). A will often sets out funeral wishes and names the executor. If you cannot find one, please try not to worry. Many estates are dealt with under the intestacy rules.
Tell close family and friends
You do not have to do this on your own. Ask someone you trust to help you share the news. It can help to agree who will contact their workplace, their neighbours, and the wider circle. You can decide later whether you would like to place a notice in a newspaper.
Contact a funeral director (if needed)
If your loved one died at home and you would like them to be moved, a funeral director can collect them at any time of the day or night. You do not need to have chosen who will handle the funeral yet; most will carry out this first collection for you. There is no rush at all to decide on the arrangements.
Register the death (within 5 days)
Book an appointment at the register office
You register at the register office for the area where they died. In England and Wales this must be done within 5 days. In Scotland, within 8 days. Take the MCCD with you, along with their full name, date of birth, last address, occupation, NHS number (if you know it), and their marriage or civil partnership certificate if there is one. The registrar will give you a green "certificate for burial or cremation", which the funeral director will need.
Order death certificate copies
It is worth ordering at least 5 certified copies (£12.50 each in England and Wales, £15 in Scotland). Banks, insurers, pension providers, and solicitors each need an original. Extra copies cost more if you order them later, so it is better to have a few too many than too few. If there were several bank accounts, investments, and insurance policies, 8 to 10 copies is not unusual.
Use Tell Us Once
The registrar will give you a Tell Us Once reference number. This one service notifies the DWP (benefits), HMRC, DVLA, the Passport Office, your local council, and public sector pensions, so you do not have to contact them all separately. Use it within 28 days. It is not available in Northern Ireland. You can use it online at gov.uk/tell-us-once or by phone on 0800 085 7308.
Need to write to banks, utility companies, or HMRC? Our ready-to-use template letters save you time and make sure you include everything they need.
Related: Learn how Tell Us Once notifies most government departments for you. You can also find your local register office or browse county-level guides for region-specific information.
Arrange the funeral (first 2 weeks)
Choose a funeral director
Take your time, and ask for itemised quotes from at least 3 funeral directors. Prices vary a great deal between providers. You are entitled to see a price list, and you do not have to use the funeral director the hospital suggests. All funeral directors must comply with the Funeral Director Compliance Scheme.
Consider your options
Traditional burial averages around £5,400, cremation with a service around £4,200, and direct cremation from around £1,600. A direct cremation is the gentlest on the budget, with no ceremony at the crematorium, and you can still hold a memorial of your own later, whenever feels right. Green burials and woodland burials are becoming more popular too.
Check for financial help with funeral costs
If you receive means-tested benefits, you may be able to get a Funeral Expenses Payment from the DWP (up to £1,000 for extras, plus burial or cremation fees). Call 0800 151 2012 to apply. If they were under 18, the Children's Funeral Fund covers the costs in England. Some trade unions, employers, and charities help with funeral costs as well, so it is always worth asking.
Think about what they would have wanted
Have a look at the will, any pre-paid funeral plan, letters, or conversations you remember about their preferences. They may have had views on burial or cremation, a religious or secular service, particular music, or a certain place. If nothing was written down, choose whatever feels right for you and your family.
If faith or cultural traditions are important for the funeral arrangements, see our cultural and religious funeral guide covering Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, and Christian practices in the UK.
Take a moment. You are doing an incredible job at a very difficult time. If any of this feels overwhelming, call Cruse Bereavement Support on 0808 808 1677 (free, Monday to Friday).
Related: Compare all funeral types (burial, cremation, direct, green, woodland), see the full cost breakdown, or read about free funeral options if money is tight.
Financial tasks (first month)
Notify banks and building societies
You can contact each bank yourself, or use the free Death Notification Service (deathnotificationservice.co.uk) to tell several banks at once and save yourself the repeat calls. Accounts in their sole name will be frozen. Banks will usually release money for funeral costs before probate is granted. Joint accounts normally carry on as usual for the surviving account holder.
Check for life insurance
Have a look through paperwork, emails, and bank statements for any life insurance policies. Contact the insurer with the death certificate. If a policy was written in trust, it pays out directly to the beneficiary without waiting for probate. It is also worth asking their employer about any death-in-service benefits.
Notify pension providers
Get in touch with any state, workplace, and private pension providers. There may be a survivor's pension, a lump sum death benefit, or remaining guaranteed payments due to you. For the State Pension, contact the Pension Service on 0800 731 0469. If you think a pension has been lost track of, the Pension Tracing Service at gov.uk/find-pension-contact-details can help you find it.
Apply for Bereavement Support Payment
If your spouse or civil partner died and you are under State Pension age: higher rate (with children) gives £3,500 lump sum plus £350/month for 18 months. Standard rate: £2,500 plus £100/month. Claim within 3 months for the lump sum and all 18 monthly payments; after 12 months the lump sum is lost, though some monthly payments can still be claimed up to 21 months. You can claim by calling 0800 151 2012 or online at gov.uk.
Redirect post
Setting up Royal Mail post redirection from their address to yours costs £45 for 3 months, £66.50 for 6 months, or £95 for 12 months, and there is a discounted concession rate if you receive Universal Credit or Pension Credit, so do ask. It is one of the most useful things you can do, because it catches letters from organisations you may not know about, including insurance policies, investments, and subscriptions.
We have template letters you can use to notify banks, utility companies, HMRC, employers, insurers, and the DVLA.
Related: See our detailed guide to dealing with bank accounts after a death, tips for finding accounts you may not know about, and our full list of organisations to notify. You may also qualify for bereavement benefits.
Legal and probate (within 3 months)
Apply for probate
Probate (a Grant of Probate if there is a will, or Letters of Administration if there is not) gives you the legal right to deal with the estate. You value the estate, complete an inheritance tax form, and submit the application. The court fee is £526 for estates over £5,000, and the grant usually arrives within 12 weeks of applying. You can apply online at gov.uk/applying-for-probate.
Check inheritance tax
Inheritance tax is charged at 40% on the estate above £325,000 (nil-rate band). There is an additional £175,000 if the home passes to children/grandchildren. Spouses can transfer unused allowance, giving up to £1 million combined. IHT must be paid within 6 months of death. You can pay in instalments for property.
Place statutory notices
Placing a notice in The London Gazette (and a local newspaper) protects you personally from debts nobody knew about. A deceased estates notice costs £96.55 plus VAT, so around £116, and a local newspaper notice is charged separately. It gives creditors 2 months to come forward, so wait at least 2 months before sharing out any assets. It is not strictly compulsory, but we would strongly encourage it.
Related: Read our full probate guide for step-by-step instructions, or learn about executor duties and inheritance tax thresholds. If there is no will, see our intestacy rules guide.
Property and ongoing matters
Check home insurance urgently
This one is worth doing sooner rather than later, as many policies become void after 30 days if the property is empty. Let the insurer know what has happened. You may need specialist unoccupied property insurance, which costs around £200-£500 per year. It also helps to keep visiting the property regularly.
Apply for council tax exemption
An empty property is exempt from council tax from the date of death until probate is granted, and for 6 months after that. Ring the local council to apply. They will ask for a copy of the death certificate.
Cancel subscriptions and direct debits
Bank statements are the easiest place to spot regular payments: TV licence, phone, broadband, streaming services, gym, insurance, charity donations, breakdown cover. You may be owed refunds for anything paid in advance. Keep a simple list of what you have cancelled and when, so you do not have to hold it all in your head.
Deal with digital accounts
Facebook and Instagram accounts can be memorialised so friends can still visit them, or closed altogether, whichever feels right. Google has an Inactive Account Manager. Do cancel any paid subscriptions. Every platform works a little differently, and our digital legacy guide walks through each of the main ones.
Decide what happens to the property in the longer term
If they owned their home, it will need to be valued for probate. In time you will need to decide whether to sell it, transfer it to a beneficiary, or let it out. An estate agent can give you a current valuation. The property may be exempt from capital gains tax if it is sold within a reasonable time. There is no need to decide any of this quickly.
Related: See our guides on dealing with property after a death, council tax exemptions, and cancelling subscriptions. For a full breakdown of expected expenses, see our costs guide.
Common questions
How long do I have to register a death in the UK?
In England and Wales, you must register the death within 5 days. In Scotland, within 8 days. In Northern Ireland, within 5 days. If the death has been referred to a coroner, registration may be delayed until their investigation is complete.
How many death certificates do I need?
Order at least 5 certified copies when you register the death. Each bank, insurer, and pension provider will need an original. If they had a lot of accounts and policies, you may need 8 to 10. Extra copies cost more if you order them later.
What is Tell Us Once and who does it notify?
Tell Us Once is a free government service that notifies multiple departments about a death in one step. It covers the DWP, HMRC, DVLA, Passport Office, local council services, and public sector pension schemes. It does not cover banks, insurers, or utility companies. It is available in England, Wales, and Scotland but not Northern Ireland.
Do I need to pay for the funeral upfront?
Most funeral directors will wait for payment until after the funeral. If you are on means-tested benefits, you can apply for a Funeral Expenses Payment from the DWP to help cover costs. Some funeral directors also offer payment plans. Banks will often release funds from their account specifically for funeral costs, even before probate.
How much does a funeral cost in the UK?
A cremation with a service averages around £4,200 and a burial around £5,400. Direct cremation (with no service) starts from around £1,600 and is the most affordable option. Prices vary significantly by region and provider, so always get at least three quotes.
Do I need probate?
You usually need probate if they owned property in their sole name, had savings above the bank's threshold (typically £5,000-£50,000), or had investments. You usually do not need probate if everything was jointly owned, as it passes automatically to the surviving owner.
Can I arrange the funeral before registering the death?
Yes, you can begin making arrangements with a funeral director before registering the death. However, the burial or cremation cannot take place until registration is complete and you have the green certificate (or the coroner has issued the relevant paperwork).
What benefits can I claim after my spouse dies?
If your spouse or civil partner died and you are under State Pension age, you can claim Bereavement Support Payment: £3,500 lump sum plus £350/month for 18 months if you have children, or £2,500 plus £100/month without children. Claim within 3 months and you get the lump sum and all 18 monthly payments; leave it past 12 months and the lump sum is lost entirely. You may also be entitled to other means-tested benefits.
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Important
This information is for general guidance only. It is not legal, financial, or tax advice. Laws and regulations change. Always verify current details with the relevant authority. Last reviewed: August 2026. If you spot an error, please contact us. See our editorial policy.
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