What to Do When Someone Dies: A Practical Checklist (UK)

When someone dies, you are handed a list of things to do at the exact moment you are least able to do them. Some are urgent. Some can wait. Most feel impossible.

This guide is a calm, practical walkthrough of what needs to happen in the UK after someone dies. Not everything will apply to your situation, but it is written in order, in plain English, with links to the right places. You do not have to do all of this alone, and you do not have to do it all at once.

1. What to do in the first few hours after a death

The very first thing is to have the death confirmed by a medical professional. What happens next depends on where the person died.

If they died at home

Call their GP surgery as soon as you can. If the death was expected (for example, the person was receiving end-of-life care), the GP or the out-of-hours service will come to confirm the death and issue a medical certificate of cause of death (MCCD).

If the death was sudden or unexpected, call 999. The paramedics and then the police may attend. This does not mean anything is wrong. It is standard procedure.

If they died in hospital or a care home

Staff will handle the confirmation. They will usually contact you, explain what happens next, and let you know when the MCCD will be ready. You do not need to do anything immediately.

If the coroner is involved

In some cases, the death will be referred to a coroner. This happens if the cause of death is unknown, if the death was sudden or violent, or if the person had not seen a doctor recently. The coroner may order a post-mortem. You cannot register the death until the coroner has finished their enquiries, but you can still begin making other arrangements.

There is clear guidance on the coroner process on the GOV.UK website: When a death is reported to a coroner.

2. Registering the death in the UK

You must register the death within 5 days in England and Wales (8 days in Scotland). This is done at the local register office, and in most areas you now need to book an appointment.

You will need to bring:

• The medical certificate of cause of death (MCCD)
• The person's birth certificate (if available)
• Their NHS medical card (if available)
• Proof of their address
• Your own identification

The registrar will give you a certified copy of the death certificate. You will need several copies, usually at least three or four, as banks, insurers, and solicitors will each want an original. Extra copies cost around £11 each and are cheaper to order at the time of registration than later.

You can book a registration appointment at Register a death on GOV.UK.

3. Arranging the funeral

You do not have to arrange the funeral immediately, but most people begin within the first week. You have three broad options:

• A funeral director handles everything, from collecting the person to organising the service and burial or cremation. Costs vary widely, so it is worth getting more than one quote.
• A direct cremation or burial is a simpler option with no ceremony. It is significantly cheaper. Several providers now offer this online.
• A DIY funeral is legal in the UK. You can arrange everything yourself, though it requires more effort and coordination.

If money is a concern, your local council has a legal duty to arrange a public health funeral (sometimes called a pauper's funeral) if no one else can. You can also check whether the person had a funeral plan, life insurance, or workplace death-in-service benefit that could help with costs.

The person's wishes, if they left any, matter. Check for a will, a letter of wishes, or anything they may have written or said about what they wanted.

4. Who to tell when someone dies in the UK

There is a long list of people and organisations to notify. You do not have to contact them all at once, but it helps to work through them in a rough order.

In the first week

• Close family and friends
• The person's employer (if applicable)
• Their GP surgery
• The person's bank and building society
• Their mortgage provider or landlord
• Utility companies (gas, electric, water, council tax)
• Royal Mail (to redirect post)

Within the first month

• HMRC (to deal with tax)
• The DWP (if they received benefits or a state pension)
• Their pension provider(s)
• Insurance companies (home, car, life, travel)
• DVLA (to return or transfer the driving licence)
• The electoral register
• Subscriptions and memberships (gyms, charities, streaming services)

The GOV.UK Tell Us Once service lets you report a death to most government departments in a single step. You can access it when you register the death, or online at Tell Us Once on GOV.UK.

5. Sorting out money, property, and probate

Dealing with someone's finances after they die can feel overwhelming, but you do not have to do it all at once. Start with the essentials.

Bank accounts

Notify the bank as soon as you can. Joint accounts can usually continue to be used by the surviving account holder. Sole accounts will be frozen until probate is granted (or confirmation in Scotland). Some banks will release small amounts for funeral costs before probate.

Probate

If the person owned property, had savings over a certain threshold, or had assets in their sole name, you will likely need to apply for probate (called "confirmation" in Scotland). This gives you the legal authority to deal with their estate.

You can apply for probate yourself online at Apply for probate on GOV.UK. It costs £300 (no fee if the estate is under £5,000). You do not necessarily need a solicitor, though some estates are complex enough to warrant one.

Benefits and entitlements

If you were financially dependent on the person who died, you may be entitled to Bereavement Support Payment or other benefits. Check your eligibility at Bereavement Support Payment on GOV.UK.

6. Looking after yourself

This section is easy to skip. Please do not.

Grief is not a problem to be solved. It is not linear. It does not follow a schedule or a set of stages. Some days you will feel functional. Other days you will not be able to find your keys or remember why you walked into a room. Both are normal.

Here are some things that might help:

• Tell someone how you are doing. Not how you think you should be doing. How you actually are.
• Accept help when it is offered. People who say "let me know if you need anything" usually mean it. Tell them you need milk, or a lift, or twenty minutes of silence.
• Do not rush decisions. You do not need to clear the house, sell the car, or move on to anything. There is no deadline for grief.
• Talk to your GP if you are struggling with sleep, anxiety, or your mental health. There is no minimum level of suffering required before you are allowed to ask for help.

Cruse Bereavement Support offers free support to anyone who is grieving. You can call their helpline on 0808 808 1677 or visit cruse.org.uk.

You may also find it helpful to read our guide on what to say when someone dies — it is written for the people around you, but it might help you understand why some of the things people say feel so unhelpful.

7. Creating a lasting record

In the weeks after someone dies, stories start to surface. The things people remember. The jokes, the habits, the way they said goodbye on the phone. These details matter more than you might think right now, and they are easy to lose.

If you want a place to gather those memories, photos, and messages from the people who knew them, a memorial page can help. Our guide on how to create a meaningful online memorial walks you through what to include and how to invite others to contribute.

You do not have to do this now. But when you are ready, it is there.

Disclaimer

The information contained in this article is provided for general guidance purposes only and is believed to be accurate as of its publication date. However, laws, regulations, fees, and government services are subject to change. Left This World Memorial Ltd cannot guarantee the absolute accuracy or completeness of the information presented and accepts no responsibility for any errors, omissions, or discrepancies that may exist. Legislation, fee structures, and procedural requirements may vary and are liable to change without notice.

This article is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or administrative advice. We strongly recommend verifying all information with the relevant official sources (including gov.uk and other government bodies) before taking any action. Readers are solely responsible for their own use of this information and for ensuring they follow current procedures and requirements applicable in their jurisdiction.

Left This World Memorial Ltd disclaims all liability to the extent permitted by law for any loss, damage, or inconvenience resulting from reliance upon this information, whether arising from negligence, error, misstatement, omission, or any other cause whatsoever.

Official UK government resources (GOV.UK)

• GOV.UK — What to do after someone dies
• GOV.UK — Register a death
• GOV.UK — Applying for probate
• Cruse Bereavement Support
• Citizens Advice — What to do after a death

For the cross-country overview of everything that needs doing after a death, see our complete death admin checklist.

Left This World helps families create private, lasting memorial pages where stories, photos, and messages from the people who mattered most are kept safe in one place. If you are not ready now, that is completely fine. When you are, it is here: leftthis.world.