What to Do When Someone Dies: A Step-by-Step Checklist
Losing someone is hard enough without having to work out the practical steps on your own. This checklist walks you through what needs to happen, and in what order, when someone dies in the UK: getting the medical certificate, registering the death, telling government departments, arranging the funeral, and dealing with the estate. Take it one step at a time, there is no need to do everything at once, and most things can wait a few days.
- ✓First a doctor confirms the death and a medical examiner reviews the cause; you then get the paperwork you need to register.
- ✓You must register the death within 5 days in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (8 days in Scotland), including weekends.
- ✓The 'Tell Us Once' service reports the death to most government departments in one go, so you don't have to contact each separately.
- ✓You can't usually arrange the funeral until the death is registered and you have the certificate for burial or cremation (the 'green form').
- ✓Dealing with the estate (money, property, possessions) comes later and may need probate, there's no rush in the first few days.
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England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland.
In the first few days
What you do first depends on where the person died:
- ✓If they died at home, contact their GP. If it's expected, the GP will confirm the death; if unexpected or out of hours, call 111 (or 999 if needed).
- ✓If they died in hospital or a care home, the staff will arrange for a doctor to confirm the death and keep the body until you choose a funeral director.
- ✓If the death was sudden, unexplained or the cause is unknown, it may be reported to the coroner, which can delay registration, the registrar or hospital will tell you if so.
The step-by-step checklist
Help with the costs
Funerals are expensive, the average simple funeral now costs over £4,000. If money is a worry, help may be available:
- ✓Funeral Expenses Payment (England and Wales) or Funeral Support Payment (Scotland) if you're on a qualifying benefit, see our funeral costs guide
- ✓The estate itself, funeral costs are normally paid from the deceased's money first, and banks will often release funds for the funeral bill
- ✓A public health funeral, arranged by the council if there's no one able to pay and no funds in the estate
- ✓Bereavement Support Payment, separate help for a surviving husband, wife, civil partner or cohabiting partner with children
Our funeral costs guide explains all of these in detail, including how to keep costs down.
Dealing with the estate
Once the immediate steps are done, the estate (the money, property and possessions) needs sorting out. This is usually the executor's job if there is a will, or the next of kin if there is not.
- ✓If there's a will, it names an executor and says who inherits, see our guide to probate
- ✓If there's no will, the intestacy rules decide who inherits and who can administer the estate
- ✓Larger or more complex estates may owe Inheritance Tax and will usually need a grant of probate before banks release money
If the person died at home or abroad
If someone dies at home and it was expected, contact their GP, who will confirm the death; if it was sudden or unexpected, call 111 or 999, and do not move the body until you are told you can. If someone dies abroad, register the death according to that country's rules, tell the British consulate, and you can usually also register it with the UK authorities, the costs of bringing someone home can be significant, so check whether there was travel insurance.
Get instant help right now
A Citizens Advice appointment can take weeks. Our free assistant is available 24/7 with no appointment, giving you clear, step-by-step answers about your exact situation, what to do next, and the deadlines that matter.
Need to take action? It can draft a ready-to-send formal letter for you (optional, from £4.99).
England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland.
Frequently asked questions
What is the first thing to do when someone dies?
First, the death needs to be confirmed by a doctor, and a medical examiner reviews the cause. If the person died at home and it was expected, contact their GP; if it was sudden or out of hours, call 111 or 999. If they died in hospital or a care home, the staff arrange for a doctor to confirm the death. Once you have the paperwork, you can register the death and then arrange the funeral.
How long do you have to register a death in the UK?
You must register the death within 5 days in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and within 8 days in Scotland. These limits include weekends and bank holidays. Registration can take a little longer if the death has been referred to the coroner, in which case the registrar or coroner's office will guide you.
What is Tell Us Once?
Tell Us Once is a free government service that lets you report a death to most government departments in one go, rather than contacting each separately. It covers HMRC, the DWP, DVLA, the Passport Office, the local council and others. The registrar gives you a Tell Us Once reference number when you register the death, and you can then use it online or by phone.
Do I need probate when someone dies?
Not always. Whether you need probate depends on what the person owned and how it was held. Small estates, or assets held jointly that pass automatically to the survivor, often don't need it. Larger estates, or where banks or the Land Registry require a grant before releasing assets, usually do. Our probate guide explains when it's needed and how to apply.
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