What to Do When Someone Dies in the UK: Step by Step

Registering the death in England and Wales

A doctor confirms the death, then a medical examiner reviews the cause. Their office may contact you, but you don’t have to speak to them. Once they confirm you can go ahead, register the death within 5 days, including weekends and bank holidays. If you need longer, tell the register office straight away.

The registrar gives you a certificate for burial or cremation (the “green form”) for the funeral director, and you can buy certified copies of the death certificate. Most families need several.

The steps, in order

1. Register the deathIn England and Wales a medical examiner checks the cause of death first; register the death within 5 days of their office confirming you can (in Scotland, 8 days; in Northern Ireland, 5 days). Ask the registrar for several certified copies of the death certificate: banks and others will want one.Register a death (GOV.UK)
2. Don’t lock anyone out of their phone and accountsDo this before anything digital. Keep their phone charged and switched on. Don't cancel the phone contract, SIM or email account, and don't reset or wipe any phone, tablet or computer: many accounts send sign-in codes to the phone, or to an authenticator app on it. Don't guess passwords or close accounts: some hold photos, bills or information the executor will need.Apple Legacy Contact: getting access · Google: request data from a deceased user's account
3. Find the will and the executorThe will names the executors: the people responsible for sorting out money, property and belongings. If a solicitor holds the will, contact them first. If there's no will, the next of kin usually applies to deal with things instead.
4. Use Tell Us OnceWhen you register the death, the registrar can give you a Tell Us Once reference. One report then tells most government departments, including HMRC, the DVLA, the Passport Office and the local council.Tell Us Once (GOV.UK)
5. Funeral wishesCheck for any funeral wishes or a pre-paid plan before booking anything, and agree the arrangements with the executor and family.
6. Keep the home and belongings safeMake sure the home is locked and safe. Don't remove, sell or give away anything, even things you were promised: that's for the executor to do. Let the executor know if the home will be empty, as the insurer needs to be told.
7. Money, property and the estate: for the executorBanks, pensions, insurance, the employer, subscriptions, property and probate are dealt with by the executor (or, if there's no will, the person who applies to deal with the estate). If that's you, the records listed here will help, along with the official guidance. If it isn't you, pass anything useful to the executor rather than contacting these organisations yourself.What to do when someone dies (GOV.UK) · Applying for probate (GOV.UK) · Death Notification Service (banks)

Some of this may not apply to you

These are the usual steps for whoever is dealing with things: normally close family and the executor. If you were simply left something, you may not need to do anything at all. Money, property and probate are the executor’s job.