What to do when somebody dies

Soon after somebody has died, a healthcare professional needs to verify their death. This might be a doctor or a nurse. They will do certain checks to make sure the person is no longer alive.

• If they have died in a hospital, hospice or care home, a healthcare professional there will do this.
• If they have died at home or somewhere else, you need to call their GP practice. You should try to do this within a few hours.

A doctor needs to certify the death and issue a medical certificate of cause of death.

After they have certified the death, you will need to collect the certificate from them.

The certificate will be in a sealed envelope addressed to the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages. You should not open this envelope.

If the death was sudden or unexpected

The doctor may need to report the person’s death to the coroner. The coroner will try to find out what happened and how they died. This may cause a delay to arranging the funeral.

When a death is reported to the coroner (GOV.UK)

The law says you need to register a death within 5 days (including weekends and bank holidays).

This needs to happen in person at a register office. You can do this at any register office, but it is quicker if you go to an office in the area they died.

Find a register office (GOV.UK)

You need to book a time and date to go to the register office. The appointment should last about 30 minutes.

The registrar will ask you questions and enter your answers into their computer. You should not have to fill in any paperwork at this appointment.

If this service is not accessible to you, ask for any adjustments that you need.

Asking for reasonable adjustments

If you cannot travel to the register office, contact them to ask if someone else can register the death for you.

The funeral can usually take place only after the death has been registered.

Find out how to register a death in the UK or abroad (GOV.UK)

What to take to the register office

Take the sealed envelope which contains the medical certificate of cause of death.

You also need 2 documents that prove your identity. These can include a:

• passport
• driving licence
• recent phone, broadband, gas, electricity or water bill
• council tax bill
• medical prescription

It is a good idea to take as much information as you can about your relative, ideally official documents.

The registrar will ask:

• their full name (and any other names they used or maiden name)
• the date and place of their birth
• the date and place of their death
• their occupation
• their home address
• whether they were married or in a civil partnership
• whether they had a State Pension

The person may have been known as different names during their life. Tell the registrar about each name.

Showing the registrar some official documents helps avoid mistakes on the death certificate. It costs up to £99 to correct a mistake later.

Correct a death registration (GOV.UK)

You may not be able to find all the documents. If so, ask the register office for advice before your appointment.

What the registrar will give you

At the end of your appointment you’ll get:

• a Certificate for Burial or Cremation, also known as the ‘green form’. It is the form you need so you can organise the burial or cremation. This is free.
• a death certificate. This costs £12.50.

If you can, it’s a good idea to buy a few extra copies of the death certificate. You need to send them to companies like your relative’s bank or employer. You cannot send photocopies.

Try to buy extra copies while you’re at the register office. They cost a lot more if you buy them later.

You need to tell the government that somebody has died.

There is a free Tell Us Once service which will notify government departments.

When you register the death, the registrar will ask if you want to use the service.

Find out how to use Tell Us Once (GOV.UK)

Access the easy read guide to Tell Us Once (GOV.UK)

These might include:

• banks and building societies
• employer
• utility companies (companies that supply things like electricity, gas and water)
• landlords or housing associations
• credit card companies
• pensions providers
• insurance companies

Settld is a service which can notify companies for you. There is a free option.

Settld – bereavement admin

Bank or credit card statements will list the places where payments have gone.

How to trace lost money (Age UK)

You could try:

Bereavement Advice Centre who give practical advice on what to do after a death.

Citizens Advice who may be able to help you fill in any paperwork.

If the person made a will, it could be with their other paperwork. Or if they used a solicitor for something else when they were alive, it may be stored there.

You could also search the National Will Register. Not all wills are on this register. There is a fee for this service.

Search for a will on the National Will Register

If there is a will, it will usually name the executor. This is the person responsible for sorting out someone’s estate. The estate is:

• any property they owned
• any money they had
• their personal items

You may or may not be the executor.

Dealing with the estate of someone who’s died (GOV.UK)

The executor may need to apply for probate. Probate is the legal right to deal with someone’s estate when they die.

Applying for probate (GOV.UK)

Making a will

If there is no will

If you have tried to find a will but have not been able to, the law says who should inherit their estate. This is known as dying intestate.

Intestacy - who inherits if someone dies without a will? (GOV.UK)

Your relative might have shared their wishes about what they wanted to happen after they died. This could be things like:

• the type of funeral they wanted, including music and readings
• whether they wanted to be buried or cremated

If not, you could ask family and friends what they think the person’s wishes might have been.

There is also advice online about organising a funeral.

The Good Funeral Guide

Find a funeral director

Most people hire a funeral director when somebody dies. A funeral director:

• takes the body to the chapel of rest and cares for it until the funeral
• arranges the funeral and organises the burial or cremation
• speaks to places of worship and faith groups if necessary
• gives guidance on what to do in the weeks leading up to the funeral

You can find a funeral director from these websites. It is best to use a member of:

National Association of Funeral Directors

The National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors

These organisations have a code of practice and a process for handling complaints.

The funeral director will ask you for the Certificate for Burial or Cremation.

You can arrange a funeral yourself, but it involves a lot of work. Your local council’s Cemeteries and Crematorium department may be able to give you advice.

Find contact details for your local council (GOV.UK)

You can pay for the funeral using:

• a prepaid funeral plan or life insurance if your relative had them
• any money they had left in a bank account when they died

The funeral director will give you more information on paying for the funeral. If you pay yourself, you may not get the money back or have to wait until the estate is settled.

You may be eligible for a Funeral Expenses payment from the Government. It will not cover the full cost of the funeral.

Check if you’re eligible for financial support for funeral costs (GOV.UK)

It is normal to experience many different emotions after someone has died. This is true even if their death was expected. There is support if you need it.

Grief after bereavement or loss (GOV.UK)

Ring the Samaritans for free on 116 123.

Helping someone else understand a loved one’s death can also be hard.

Explaining death and bereavement

Managing mental health

You might be able to take time off work after a relative dies. This is sometimes called compassionate or bereavement leave.

By law, your employer does not have to pay you for this. But many do, and it is worth checking with them.

If your partner has died, you may be entitled to Bereavement Support Payment.

Bereavement Support Payment (GOV.UK)

Bereavement financial support

When you inherit cash, property or investments, it might affect any means-tested benefits you receive.

Inheritance and benefits

If you lived with the person who has died, it could affect your housing situation. Check if it affects your benefits.

Changing tenancy and home ownership after a death

The Scope helpline can offer support on issues like benefits and housing.

Phone: 0808 800 3333

Other ways to access the Scope helpline

After a bereavement you may find it hard to pay bills. This could mean you get into debt. There is support available.

Help with debt