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    What to do when someone dies: a checklist for England and Wales

    Last checked: October 2026

    When someone dies, there is a lot to do and you may not feel able to do any of it. There is no need to do everything at once. This checklist explains the main steps in the order they usually happen in England and Wales, so you can take it one stage at a time.

    Processes differ in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

    1. In the first days

    • If the death was expected, contact the person's doctor or nurse, who can confirm the death. If it was unexpected, call 999.
    • Tell close family and friends. Ask someone to help with the calls so you do not have to make them all.
    • Look after dependants, pets and the home. Make sure the property is secure.
    • Look for a will and any funeral wishes. These may be with a solicitor or among the person's papers.
    • Look after yourself. Eat, rest and ask someone to stay with you if you can.

    2. Registering the death

    In England and Wales, a death must be registered. A medical examiner first checks the cause of death and may contact you to explain it. Speaking to them is voluntary. You must wait for the medical examiner's office to confirm that you can register the death, and then register within 5 days of getting that confirmation. This includes weekends and bank holidays. If you need more than 5 days, tell the register office immediately.

    The registrar then gives you the paperwork you need for the funeral, and you can buy copies of the death certificate. Banks, insurers and pension providers often each ask for one, so it is worth getting several.

    If the coroner is involved

    Sometimes a death is reported to a coroner, for example if the cause is unclear. What happens next depends on the coroner's decision:

    • If the coroner decides not to investigate, the medical examiner will contact you to confirm you can register the death.
    • If the cause of death is clear, the coroner tells the registrar that no inquest is needed and the registrar contacts you to arrange registration.
    • If there is an inquest, you can ask the coroner for an interim death certificate while you wait. The final certificate follows the inquest.

    The coroner releases the body for the funeral once their examinations are complete. Your funeral director or the register office can explain what to expect.

    3. Tell Us Once

    Tell Us Once is a free government service that lets you report a death to most government departments and council services in one go, instead of contacting each separately. The registrar gives you a reference number. You must use the service within 28 days of getting that number. It can be used if the person who died was living in England, Scotland or Wales.

    It does not tell private organisations such as banks, insurers, utility companies or employers, so you will still need to contact those yourself. If a child or baby has died, you must also tell the DWP separately about any benefits you receive as their parent or carer.

    4. Arranging the funeral

    You do not have to decide everything straight away. Check first for a will and any funeral plan, then contact a funeral director if you wish to use one. Ask for a clear, itemised written quote and compare more than one if you can.

    The funeral can usually only take place once the death has been registered and your funeral director, crematorium or burial authority has the certificate for burial or cremation. If the coroner is involved, this can affect the timing.

    Funeral costs are usually paid from the estate, though the estate may not be accessible until later. If money is tight, ask about payment plans and check what help is available.

    5. Money and support

    Some help has strict deadlines, so note the dates down.

    • Bereavement Support Payment may be available if your husband, wife or civil partner has died, and in some cases a partner you lived with who had children. Claiming within 3 months of the death usually gets you the full amount, and you can claim for up to 21 months afterwards but receive less.
    • Funeral Expenses Payment may help if you are arranging the funeral and you or your partner get certain benefits. You must claim within 6 months of the funeral.
    • Children's Funeral Fund for England can help with some of the costs of a funeral for a child under 18 or a baby stillborn after the 24th week of pregnancy. It is not means-tested, and the burial or cremation must take place in England. Claims must be made within 6 months of the funeral.
    • Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay may be available if your child under 18 has died, or you have had a stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy. Leave and pay have separate conditions.
    • Your own benefits and tax may change after a death. Tell the relevant departments, and check whether your council tax bill changes if you now live alone.

    6. Dealing with the estate

    The estate is everything the person owned, minus what they owed. There is no need to rush this, and it usually starts after the funeral.

    • Is there a will? If so, it names one or more executors, who deal with the estate. If there is no will, the intestacy rules decide who inherits and who can deal with it.
    • Probate is the legal right to deal with the estate. It is not always needed. Banks and other organisations set their own limits, and property held in the deceased's sole name usually needs a grant.
    • List what the person owned and owed. You will need this for probate and for Inheritance Tax.
    • Inheritance Tax is normally not payable if the estate is below the £325,000 threshold, or if everything above it is left to a spouse, civil partner, charity or community amateur sports club. The threshold can rise to £500,000 if a qualifying home passes to direct descendants, but that extra allowance reduces for estates worth more than £2 million. Unused allowances can pass to a surviving spouse or civil partner. The standard rate is 40% on the part above the threshold, and tax is usually due by the end of the sixth month after the person died. You may still need to report the estate even if no tax is due.
    • Pay debts and taxes before you share out the estate. Executors can be personally responsible if they distribute too early.

    If the estate includes a business, property abroad or a dispute between family members, take advice from a solicitor.

    Official sources

    Frequently asked questions

    Want everything in one place?

    The ShielaDGT When Someone Dies: UK Admin Organiser is an 18-page fillable PDF with a first-days checklist, a "who to tell" tracker, funeral planning and budget worksheets, an estate inventory, an accounts-to-close list and a key dates tracker.

    This article is general information only, not legal, tax or financial advice. It follows the process in England and Wales, and rules change, so check GOV.UK for the latest. ShielaDGT is independent and not affiliated with any government body.