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

Someone you love has died. You might be reading this within hours of it happening, or days, or weeks. You might be in shock. You might be calm in a way that surprises you. You might be both at once.

Whatever you're feeling, there are things that need doing, and right now the thought of dealing with paperwork and phone calls probably feels impossible. This guide is here to walk you through it. One step at a time, in roughly the order things need to happen, with no jargon and no assumptions about what you already know.

This guide covers the Republic of Ireland. If the death happened in Northern Ireland, the process is different, as it follows UK law. Visit nidirect.gov.uk for guidance. If the death happened in England or Wales, our UK checklist covers those steps.

What to do in the first hours after someone dies in Ireland

If they died at home, call their GP. If the death was expected, a terminal illness or old age, the GP should be able to attend and confirm the cause of death. If you cannot reach the GP, or the death was outside normal hours, you can call the out-of-hours GP service for your area. You do not need to call 999 or 112 unless the death was sudden, unexpected, or the circumstances are unclear.

If they died in hospital or a hospice, the staff will guide you through the immediate steps. A doctor will confirm the death and provide the Death Notification Form (the form that states the medical cause of death). You do not need to arrange anything immediately. The hospital will keep the body until you are ready to make arrangements.

If the death was sudden or unexpected, call 999 or 112. The Gardai and coroner may need to be involved. This is not something to be frightened of. It is a legal process that exists to establish the cause of death. A doctor must have attended the person within 28 days before the death and be satisfied about the cause. If they were not, or if there is anything unexplained about the death, the coroner will be informed. The coroner may order a post-mortem examination. If this happens, the coroner's office will explain what comes next and will issue the necessary paperwork for registration once the cause of death is established.

You do not need to do anything else right now. The person you love is safe. Nothing administrative is so urgent that it cannot wait until tomorrow. If it is the middle of the night, go to bed. If you cannot sleep, that is fine too. The next steps can wait until morning.

What to do in the first few days after a death in Ireland

Get the Death Notification Form. This is the document that records the medical cause of death. It is issued by the doctor who attended the person during their last illness, not by the hospital or nursing home. The doctor will complete Part 1 of the form (the medical cause of death). You, as the next of kin, must complete Part 2, which covers the personal details of the person who died. If the coroner is involved, the coroner will send the certificate directly to the registration office. You do not need to do anything further in that case.

Register the death. Every death in Ireland must be registered. You should register the death within three months, though you have up to 12 months to do so. Registration after 12 months requires written permission from the Registrar General. You can register the death at any civil registration office in the country, regardless of where the death occurred. Find your nearest office through the HSE Civil Registration Service or your local health office.

To register, bring the completed Death Notification Form and photo identification. Registration is free. The registrar will ask you to confirm the personal details of the person who died and sign the register.

The death is usually registered by the next of kin. If there are no relatives available, it can be registered by someone who was present during the death or final illness, a near neighbour, or the undertaker.

Order death certificates. Registration itself is free, but you will need to buy certified copies of the death certificate. These cost €20 each for a standard certificate (or €1 for a certificate specifically needed for social welfare purposes, with a note from the Department of Social Protection). Order at least three or four copies. You will need to send them to banks, insurance companies, pension providers, and the Probate Office. Many organisations require an original certified copy, not a photocopy. Having several means you can deal with multiple institutions at the same time.

You can order certificates at the time of registration, or later from any civil registration office or the General Register Office. You can also apply online.

Contact an undertaker. You do not have to use a funeral director, but most families in Ireland do. Your local funeral director will help with the practical arrangements, including transport, removal of the body, and advising on costs. In Ireland, funerals typically happen quickly, often within two to three days of the death, which is faster than in many other countries. The funeral director will guide you on timing. The Irish Association of Funeral Directors (iafd.ie) has a list of members and a code of practice.

Many families in Ireland place a death notice on RIP.ie, which has become the primary way that deaths are announced nationally. Your funeral director can help arrange this.

Tell the people who need to know. Family, friends, their employer if they were working, their GP if they did not already know, their landlord if they rented. This is one of the hardest tasks. You do not have to do it all yourself. Ask someone to help you make calls or send messages.

What to do in the first few weeks after a death in Ireland

Arrange the funeral. Your funeral director will guide you through the options and costs. If money is tight, you may be eligible for help. Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, the Department of Social Protection can make an Additional Needs Payment to help with essential funeral costs if you are unable to cover them. Contact your local Community Welfare Service office to apply.

Notify the Department of Social Protection. If the person who died was receiving any social welfare payment, a State pension, or any other payment from the Department, you must notify the Department of Social Protection as soon as possible. Social welfare payments, including the State pension, continue for six weeks after the date of death (or 12 weeks in the case of Carer's Allowance). After that, they stop. Contact your local Intreo centre or social welfare office, or call the department directly.

Notify banks, building societies, and financial institutions. Unlike the UK, Ireland does not have a single notification service for banks. You will need to contact each bank, building society, credit union, and financial institution individually. You will need a death certificate and, if you are the executor, proof of your authority. Banks will typically freeze the person's accounts until a Grant of Representation is issued. Joint accounts usually remain accessible to the surviving account holder, though the bank may restrict some transactions.

It can be difficult to get immediate access to a deceased person's money in Ireland unless it is in a joint account. If you need funds urgently, speak to the bank about the specific circumstances. Some institutions will release small amounts for funeral costs before the grant is issued.

Notify insurance companies, pension providers, and their employer. Life insurance, workplace pensions, private pensions, and the State pension all need to be notified. If the person was still employed, contact their employer. They may be owed outstanding salary, holiday pay, or death-in-service benefits.

Check whether you need probate. Probate is the legal process that gives someone the authority to deal with the deceased person's estate, their money, property, and possessions. If the person left a will, the named executor applies to the Probate Office for a Grant of Probate. If there is no will, the closest relative applies for a Grant of Administration.

You can make a personal application to the Probate Office yourself, or you can instruct a solicitor. The Probate Office filing fee starts at around €50, but the total cost depends on the value and complexity of the estate. Solicitor fees vary and are typically based on the estate's value and complexity.

Personal applications are made to the Probate Office in Dublin or your local District Probate Registry. You can find information and application forms at courts.ie/probate. Processing times vary, but currently range from around 8 to 16 weeks from the date papers are lodged, depending on complexity and location.

You will need the original death certificate, the original will (if there is one), and a completed Revenue SA2 form (the self-assessment form that must be filed with Revenue for all estates). The Probate Office provides guidance notes for personal applicants.

Look for a will. Check the person's home, their solicitor, their bank, and any documents they may have left. If there is a will, it will name an executor. If there is no will, the estate is distributed according to the Succession Act 1965, which sets out who inherits based on family relationships. Citizens Information has a clear guide to the rules at citizensinformation.ie.

Things that can wait

Not everything needs to happen in the first few weeks. Some tasks are important but not urgent, and it is perfectly fine to deal with them over the coming months when you have the energy.

Cancel subscriptions and direct debits. Go through their bank statements and identify any recurring payments: streaming services, phone contracts, insurance, gym memberships, magazines, software subscriptions. Cancel anything that is no longer needed. Some companies will refund payments made after the date of death if you provide a death certificate.

Deal with their home. If they lived alone, make sure the property is secure and insured. You do not need to clear it immediately. Notify the local authority about the Local Property Tax (LPT). If the property is unoccupied, you may also need to consider vacant property requirements.

Deal with their social media and online accounts. This can feel overwhelming, especially if you do not know their passwords. Most platforms have processes for memorialising or deleting accounts after death. Our guide on what happens to social media accounts when someone dies covers the major platforms step by step. If the person did any digital legacy planning in advance, check for a password manager, a written list of accounts, or any legacy contacts they may have set up through Apple, Google, or Facebook.

Notify other organisations. Their car insurance, home insurance, breakdown cover, professional memberships, loyalty programmes. If they owned a vehicle, you will need to update the registration with the NDLS (National Driver Licence Service) or notify Motor Tax. If they had a passport, you can return it to the Passport Office.

Redirect their post. An Post offers a mail redirection service. This is worth setting up to ensure you receive any important correspondence.

Create a memorial. When you are ready, and there is no rush, you may want to create a lasting space to honour the person you have lost. An online memorial gives friends and family a place to gather photos, stories, and tributes, somewhere everyone who loved them can contribute, regardless of where they are. Our guide on how to create a meaningful online memorial walks through the process step by step.

Things people often forget

Local Property Tax. If the person who died owned property, you need to notify Revenue about the change in ownership for LPT purposes. The executor or administrator of the estate is responsible for this. Visit revenue.ie for guidance.

Social welfare payments. If the person was receiving a social welfare payment, this needs to be reported. Payments continue for six weeks after the date of death. If you were receiving benefits as a couple, your entitlement may change. Contact your local Intreo centre to check.

Bereaved Partner's Pension. If your husband, wife, civil partner, or cohabiting partner has died, you may be eligible for the Bereaved Partner's (Contributory) Pension. This is a weekly payment based on PRSI contributions, either yours or the deceased's. It is not means-tested. Since July 2025, this pension has been extended to include qualifying cohabitants, not only married or civil-partnered couples. Contact the Department of Social Protection or visit citizensinformation.ie to check eligibility and apply.

Bereaved Parent Grant. If your spouse, civil partner, or qualifying cohabitant has died and you have dependent children under 18 (or under 22 if in full-time education), you may be eligible for the Bereaved Parent Grant. This is a once-off payment of €8,000. You must be receiving a qualifying social welfare payment. Details and application forms are available from the Department of Social Protection.

Inheritance tax. If you receive an inheritance, you may have to pay Capital Acquisitions Tax (CAT). The amount depends on the value of the inheritance and your relationship to the person who died. Inheritances from a spouse or civil partner are exempt. For children inheriting from a parent, the tax-free threshold is €400,000 (as of 2025). Revenue has detailed guidance at revenue.ie.

Loyalty points, air miles, and rewards. These can sometimes be worth hundreds of euros. Check airline frequent flyer accounts, hotel loyalty schemes, supermarket points, and credit card rewards. Some can be transferred to a family member, others are lost on death.

Their phone contract. If they had a mobile phone contract, contact the provider. You may be able to cancel without penalty. If the phone is locked, you may need the passcode to access their data, photos, and messages.

Who to contact when someone dies in Ireland

You do not have to do any of this alone. If you are struggling, whether with the practical steps or with grief itself, help is available.

Citizens Information has comprehensive guidance on what to do when someone dies, including benefits, housing, and legal rights. Visit citizensinformation.ie or call the Citizens Information Phone Service on 0818 07 4000.

The Department of Social Protection administers bereavement-related payments and can advise on entitlements. Find your local Intreo centre at gov.ie.

The Probate Office can help with the probate process, though it cannot give legal advice. Visit courts.ie/probate or contact the Personal Application Section at 01 888 6174.

The Irish Hospice Foundation offers bereavement support through its Bereavement Support Line on 1800 807 077 (Monday to Friday). They also provide information and resources at hospicefoundation.ie.

A solicitor can help with probate, property, and any legal complications. Many offer a free initial consultation. You can find a solicitor through the Law Society of Ireland's find-a-solicitor tool at lawsociety.ie.

MABS (Money Advice and Budgeting Service) offers free, confidential advice on money and debt issues. If the person who died left debts, or if you are struggling financially after the bereavement, MABS can help. Visit mabs.ie or call 0818 07 2000.

You don't have to do all of this today

Read back through this list and you might feel overwhelmed. That is understandable. But here is what actually needs to happen soon: get the Death Notification Form, register the death, and arrange the funeral. Everything else can be dealt with over the weeks and months ahead, at your own pace.

The urgent things are few. The important things can wait until you are ready. And the people and organisations you need to contact will understand that you are dealing with a bereavement. Most will be patient. Most will be kind.

Be gentle with yourself. Ask for help when you need it. And know that the fact you are reading this at all, trying to do right by someone you love, is enough.

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 citizensinformation.ie, gov.ie, revenue.ie, 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.

References and official resources

• Register a death (Ireland): hse.ie/births-deaths-and-marriages/register/death
• When someone dies (Citizens Information): citizensinformation.ie/en/death/when-someone-dies-in-ireland
• Order a death certificate: hse.ie/births-deaths-and-marriages/get-certificates/order-a-certificate-online
• Probate (Courts Service): courts.ie/probate
• Dealing with a deceased person's estate: citizensinformation.ie/en/death/the-deceaseds-estate/dealing-with-the-deceaseds-estate
• Bereaved Partner's Pension: citizensinformation.ie/en/social-welfare/death-related-benefits/bereaved-partners-contributory-pension
• Bereaved Parent Grant: citizensinformation.ie/en/social-welfare/death-related-benefits/widowed-parents-bereavement-grant
• Income supports following a bereavement: gov.ie/bereavement-income-supports
• Irish Hospice Foundation Bereavement Support Line: hospicefoundation.ie. Helpline: 1800 807 077
• Citizens Information Phone Service: 0818 07 4000
• MABS: mabs.ie. Helpline: 0818 07 2000

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 lasting online memorials, a dedicated space to bring together photos, stories, and tributes that honour the people who matter most. Create a memorial →