When someone close to you dies, it can be hard to know where to start. A few things need doing in the first days, and much more can wait until you're ready.
This guide takes you through each step in the order you're likely to face it, with links to more detailed advice along the way. It covers England and Wales, as the process is different in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
What needs to happen, and when?
In the first week, the main steps are getting a medical certificate, registering the death and contacting a funeral director.
Here's the usual order:
- Get a medical certificate
- Check whether a coroner needs to be involved
- Register the death within five days
- Look for a will, funeral plan or funeral wishes, contact a funeral director when you're ready
- Let people and organisations know
- Deal with money, property and the will when you feel able
What should I do straight away?
What to do first depends on where the person died and whether their death was expected.
If someone dies at home
If the death was expected, for example after a long illness, call their GP. Out of hours, call NHS 111.
If the death was sudden or unexpected, call 999. The police and ambulance service will guide you through what happens next.
Once a doctor or nurse has been, you don't need to rush. You can take some time before you call a funeral director.
If someone dies in hospital or a care home
The staff will contact the next of kin and start the paperwork for the medical certificate. They'll usually ask whether you'd like to see the person before they're taken into the mortuary's care.
The staff will also explain how and when to collect the person's belongings.
What happens when someone dies in hospital
If someone dies abroad
Contact the British embassy, high commission or consulate in that country. They can explain how to register the death there and how to bring the person home.
If you're in the UK, you can also contact the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office for help.
1) How do I get a medical certificate?
A doctor completes the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death, and a medical examiner checks it and sends it directly to the register office.
This means you won't usually be handed a certificate to take with you. The hospital or GP practice will let you know once it's been sent, so you can book an appointment to register the death.
If you know whether the person wanted to be buried or cremated, tell the doctor early. A cremation needs extra forms, so letting them know early helps avoid delays.
2) When does a coroner need to be involved?
A coroner is involved when the cause of death is unknown, or when the death was sudden, unexplained, violent or unnatural.
The doctor or medical examiner will tell you if the coroner has been informed. The coroner may decide the cause of death is clear, or may ask for a post-mortem examination. In some cases, they'll hold an inquest.
This can delay registering the death and setting a date for the funeral. Your funeral director can explain what it means for your plans.
If there's an inquest, you can ask the coroner for an interim death certificate. This lets you start dealing with the person's affairs while the inquest goes on.
3) How do I register a death?
In England and Wales, a death should be registered within five days, at an appointment with a register office.
A relative of the person who's died usually registers the death. If no relative can, it can be someone who was present at the death, an administrator from the hospital or the person arranging the funeral.
You can find your local register office on GOV.UK. If a coroner is involved, the register office will tell you when you can register.
What information will I need?
The registrar will ask for:
- the person's full name, and any names they used before, such as a maiden name
- their date and place of birth
- their last address and occupation
- the full name, date of birth and occupation of a surviving or late spouse or civil partner
- whether they received a State Pension or any other benefits
It helps to bring documents such as their birth certificate, marriage or civil partnership certificate, passport, driving licence and proof of address. Don't worry if you can't find them all. The register office can tell you what to do.
What will I receive?
When you register the death, you'll get:
- A Certificate for Burial or Cremation, often called the green form, which the funeral director needs before the funeral can go ahead
- A Certificate of Registration of Death (form BD8), which you may need to return if the person received a State Pension or other benefits
You can also buy certified copies of the death certificate. It's worth getting several, as banks and other organisations usually ask to see an original rather than a photocopy.
4) When can I start arranging the funeral?
You can contact a funeral director at any time, day or night, and they'll care for the person who's died until the funeral.
Before you choose, check whether the person had a will, a funeral plan or wishes they shared with family or friends. A funeral plan may already name the funeral director to contact.
If you don't know what they wanted, that's alright. A funeral director can talk you through the options and help you create a funeral that feels right.
When you first call, you'll be asked a few questions, such as where the person is and whether they wanted a burial or cremation. Share as much or as little as you're ready to.
Our FuneralCoop teams are here for you 24 hours a day, every day.
5) Who do I need to tell?
Start with family and close friends, then let organisations know when you feel able to.
Tell Us Once is a free government service that lets you report a death to most government departments in one go. That includes HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), the Department for Work and Pensions and the Passport Office. The register office will give you a reference number to use it.
You'll also need to contact other organisations yourself, such as:
- their employer, or any care and support services they used
- their landlord, council or mortgage provider
- banks, building societies and insurance companies
- utility, phone and broadband providers
- subscriptions and memberships
- Royal Mail, if you'd like their post redirected
To reduce post addressed to the person who's died, you can add their name to the Bereavement Register.
6) What happens to their bank accounts?
Contact each bank or building society the person used, and they'll explain what they need to release the money and close the account.
Money in a joint account usually passes to the other account holder. For accounts in the person's name only, the bank will ask for a copy of the death certificate.
For larger amounts, the bank may also ask for a grant of probate. Each bank sets its own limit, so it's worth asking early.
Closing a bank account after someone dies
What happens to their will and estate?
If the person left a will, the executor named in it is responsible for dealing with their money, property and belongings.
This is often called sorting out the estate. The executor may need a grant of probate, a legal document that gives them the authority to do this. They may also need to work out whether Inheritance Tax is due.
If there's no will, the law decides who inherits, under rules called intestacy. A solicitor can help, especially if there's no will or the estate is complicated.
Sorting out an estate usually takes months, so there's no need to start in the first few days.
Should I put a notice in the newspaper?
A death notice in a local newspaper or online lets people know the person has died and shares the funeral details.
Contact the newspaper to place one. There's usually a fee. A short notice with the person's name, age, date of death and funeral details is all you need.
Many people also share the news on social media, or ask a family member to do it for them.
Obituary notices: Making death announcements in newspapers
You don't have to do all of this at once, or on your own. Ask family and friends to take on some of the calls, and lean on your funeral director for practical help.