What to do after someone dies
The following checklist is a basic starting point on the steps that need to be taken after a death, including who you should contact and when:
Notify the family doctor - immediately;
If the death was unexpected, or happened outside of a hospital, contact the police - immediately;
Register the death at the local registry office - within 5 days of the date of death.
Click here to find details of your local registry office;
See below for further information about registering a death.
Contact a funeral director to make the funeral arrangements – within 5 days of the date of death. For a list of independent funeral directors
click here;
The following tasks should be completed within 7-10 days of the date of death:
Locate the Will and notify the Executor(s) if this isn’t you. For details of the duties of an executor
click here.
If there is no Will (called ‘intestacy’) the next of kin should seek legal advice, to help understand some of the complications and legal implications that can arise. Telephone our free helpline for assistance on 0800 6129 150 or complete our online enquiry form. For further information on intestacy
click here;
Find details and make a list of all the deceased’s assets (such as bank/building society accounts, ISA’s, shares, premium bonds, insurance policies etc) and liabilities (credit cards, loans, utility providers etc);
Find details and make a list of other interested parties such as the Department of Work and Pensions, Benefits Agencies, Home Insurance Provider, Utilities Provider, Pension Provider, Council Tax, Inland Revenue and so on.
Establish whether ‘Probate’ is needed. For further information on Probate, please
click hereEstablish who should administer the deceased’s estate (i.e. conduct all of the legal, financial and administrative duties required). We offer a specialist estate completion service - Please telephone our free helpline on 0800 6129 150 for further help and guidance.
Registering a death
The following information is to help you register a death in England and Wales.
The death should be registered within 5 days of the date of death at a register office. It is preferable to register the death at the register office in the area where the person died. For details of your nearest register office please click here.
You will need to telephone the register office to make an appointment.
Who can register the death?
If the person died in a house or hospital, the death can be registered by:
• a relative
• someone present at the death
• an occupant of the house
• an official from the hospital
• the person making the arrangements with the funeral directors
Deaths that occurred anywhere else can be registered by:
• a relative
• someone present at the death
• the person who found the body
• the person in charge of the body
• the person making the arrangements with the funeral directors
Most deaths are registered by a relative. The registrar would normally only allow other people to register the death if there are no relatives available.
For further advice on registering a death, please click here.
What to do after the death has been registered
Please click here to return to the checklist.
