What to do when someone dies in the UK: a step-by-step guide

When someone dies, there is no single process to follow. There are dozens of separate processes, owned by different organisations, that each need to happen in roughly the right order. Some are legally required. Some have time limits. Most are not connected to each other.

This guide explains what to do in the first days, weeks and months after a death in the UK. It is written for the person taking on the practical tasks: a spouse, an adult child, an executor, a close friend. It assumes you are in England or Wales, with notes on the differences for Scotland and Northern Ireland.

In the first hours

The first task depends on where the person died.

If the death was expected and happened at home, call the GP surgery or the community nursing team. A doctor or nurse will attend to verify the death. You do not need to call 999.

If the death was unexpected, call 999. Paramedics will attend. If the cause is not clear, the case is referred to a coroner.

In hospital or a hospice, staff handle verification and explain what happens next, including arrangements for the body. In a care home, staff will contact the GP or out-of-hours service and guide you through the next steps.

Verification is not the same as certification. A doctor or nurse confirms the person has died. A separate process produces the medical certificate of cause of death, which you need to register the death.

Getting the medical certificate

In England and Wales, all deaths are now reviewed by a medical examiner before a certificate is issued. This became a statutory requirement on 9 September 2024. The medical examiner is an independent senior doctor who scrutinises the proposed cause of death and speaks to the bereaved family.

The process usually adds two to five working days. The medical examiner's office will contact you to explain the cause of death and ask if you have any questions or concerns. Once they are satisfied, the certificate is sent electronically to the registrar.

If the coroner is involved, the timeline is different. An inquest can delay registration for weeks or months. In the meantime, the coroner can issue an interim death certificate that lets you start dealing with the estate.

In Scotland, the process uses different forms and is administered by the Crown Office. In Northern Ireland, a medical examiner system is being introduced but the pre-2024 arrangements still operate for most deaths.

Registering the death

You must register a death within five days in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or eight days in Scotland. The five-day clock starts when the medical examiner completes their review, not when the person died. If the coroner is involved, the clock pauses until they release the case.

Make an appointment at a register office. You can use any office, but if you register in the area where the person died, the registrar can issue certificates on the spot. Register elsewhere and the paperwork is sent to the correct office, with certificates issued by post a few days later.

You need:

• The deceased's NHS number if you have it

• Their full name, date and place of birth, last address, occupation, and (if married or in a civil partnership) details of their spouse

• Details of any state pension or benefits they received

The medical certificate itself is sent electronically by the medical examiner, so you do not need to bring a physical copy.

The registrar will issue:

• The death certificate (you will need more than one copy)

• A green form for the funeral director, giving authority for burial or cremation

• A BD8 form for the Department for Work and Pensions

• A unique reference number for the Tell Us Once service

Order several death certificates at the point of registration. Banks, pension providers, insurers and the probate service will each need their own. Most people need between six and ten. Ordering additional copies later costs more and takes longer.

For more on certificates, including costs and how to order additional copies, see our guide on death certificates UK: how many you need and where to use them.

Using Tell Us Once

Tell Us Once is the government service that notifies most public sector organisations from a single submission. It covers HMRC, DWP, the Passport Office, DVLA, the local council, and a handful of others.

It is free. It takes about twenty minutes. You can do it online, by phone, or at the register office. You have 28 days from the date the registrar gives you the reference number.

Tell Us Once does not cover any private sector organisation. Not the bank. Not the pension provider. Not the insurer. Not the mortgage lender. Not the utility companies, the phone provider, the subscription services, or the credit card issuer. Each of those has to be contacted separately, and each has its own process.

This is the single biggest gap families fall into. Government notification feels like it has handled everything. It has handled the part the government owns. Everything else is still waiting.

Arranging the funeral

The funeral does not have to happen quickly. Most UK funerals take place between one and three weeks after the death. That allows time to plan and for family to travel.

Before anything is booked, check three things:

• Is there a pre-paid funeral plan? If yes, contact the provider first. They will coordinate with a funeral director.

• Did the deceased leave instructions in a will, a letter of wishes, or a separate funeral wishes document? A will is often sealed until probate, so look for a separate document first.

• Is there a life insurance policy, over-50s plan, or death-in-service benefit that might cover costs?

If there is no plan or policy, the SunLife Cost of Dying Report 2025 put the average UK attended funeral at £4,285 and a direct cremation at £1,597. Costs vary significantly by region: London averages over £5,400, Northern Ireland around £3,400.

If there is no money in the estate to pay for the funeral, the person arranging it may be eligible for a Funeral Expenses Payment from the DWP. Most funeral directors will wait for probate if the estate has funds.

In the first two weeks: private-sector notifications

Once the funeral is in hand, the work shifts to notifying the organisations Tell Us Once does not cover. This is where the work becomes fragmented.

Every organisation has its own requirements. Some want a certified copy of the death certificate. Some accept a scanned copy. Some want the original. Some have a dedicated bereavement team; some route you through general customer service. Some close the account within days. Others take weeks and ask for repeated documentation.

The list typically includes:

• Banks and building societies (every account, including dormant ones)

• Credit card issuers

• Mortgage lender

• Pension providers (the state pension is on Tell Us Once, but private and workplace pensions are not)

• Life insurance and other insurers (car, home, health, travel)

• Investment platforms and ISA providers

• NS&I (Premium Bonds, Income Bonds, savings)

• Utility companies (gas, electricity, water)

• Phone and broadband providers

• TV Licensing

• Subscription services (streaming, software, memberships)

• Loyalty and store cards

• The DVLA for vehicle keepership (the driving licence is on Tell Us Once)

• Royal Mail redirection if post is being forwarded

• Social media and digital accounts

It is not an exhaustive list. It depends on what the person owned and used.

If you do not know what accounts exist, start with bank statements from the last twelve months. Direct debits and standing orders will reveal most recurring payments. Incoming credits will show pensions and benefits. Post opened over the following weeks will bring more to light.

For accounts the deceased may have lost track of, the My Lost Account service is a useful starting point for dormant bank, building society and NS&I accounts.

Dealing with the will and the estate

Find the will. It may be with the deceased's solicitor, in a safe deposit box, at home, or lodged with the Probate Service. If you cannot find one, the estate is administered under the intestacy rules, which determine who inherits regardless of wishes.

If there is a will, the executor named in it is responsible for administering the estate. If there is no will, a relative applies to become administrator.

Probate is the legal authority to deal with the estate. Not all estates need it. You generally need probate if:

• The deceased owned property in their sole name, or as tenants in common

• They held bank or investment accounts above the bank's threshold (typically £5,000 to £50,000)

• They held shares registered in their name

• There is a dispute about the estate

If everything was held jointly with a surviving spouse, or the estate is small enough that institutions will release funds without a grant, probate may not be needed.

Applying for probate takes time, though less than it used to. As of early 2026, HMCTS is issuing grants in around six weeks for digital applications and around fifteen weeks for paper applications, with stopped cases taking longer. The overall probate process, from application to final distribution, runs to six to twelve months for a straightforward estate.

For the full process, see our guides on what is probate and how long does probate take in the UK.

Inheritance tax

Inheritance tax is payable on estates above the nil-rate band, currently £325,000. Additional allowances can raise this. The residence nil-rate band adds up to £175,000 when a main home is passed to direct descendants, and any unused nil-rate band can be transferred between spouses.

Most estates do not pay inheritance tax. HMRC's latest figures (for 2022/23) show that 4.6% of deaths resulted in a tax charge. But all estates above £325,000, or with more complex arrangements, must submit a return, even if no tax is owed. If tax is due, it is usually payable within six months of the date of death, which often means before probate is granted.

This is the area where getting specialist advice early pays for itself. A probate solicitor or STEP-qualified estate practitioner can work out the liability and flag any reliefs that apply.

In the first months: closing accounts and finishing the admin

Once probate is granted (if needed), the executor can collect in assets, pay debts, and distribute what remains to beneficiaries.

The notification work runs alongside this. Each organisation responds on its own timeline. Some close the account within a week. Others require a certified copy of the grant of probate before releasing funds, which means waiting for the grant first.

A few things to track:

• Any incoming mail addressed to the deceased. New accounts or services can surface months later.

• Any subscription or direct debit that continues to take payments after you have notified the bank. These can be reclaimed under the Direct Debit Guarantee.

• Any refunds owed. Utility companies, insurers and councils often owe money back when accounts are closed mid-period.

• Identity fraud risk. The longer accounts stay open and active, the wider the exposure. Registering with the Bereavement Register reduces marketing post, which reduces opportunistic fraud risk.

Keep a record of every organisation you have contacted, when, and with what documentation. The work stretches over weeks and you will lose track without one.

Council tax, bereavement leave at work, and dealing with the deceased's pension each have their own rules. See our guides on what happens to council tax when someone dies and bereavement leave UK for the specifics.

If this is more than you can manage

The administrative work after a death runs to twenty or more hours for most estates, spread across weeks or months. Every phone call means explaining the death again. Every form asks for slightly different information. Most people do it while also grieving, working, and managing the rest of their life.

Legacy Trail finds the accounts the deceased held and notifies each provider centrally, so you do not have to repeat the same conversation dozens of times.