What to do in the first days after a death

There is a lot to do in the days after a death — and much of it has legal deadlines attached. This guide covers the essential steps in order, so nothing falls through the cracks.

This guide covers England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have different processes.

Immediately (day of death)

Get a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death

The doctor (GP or hospital doctor) who attended the deceased will issue a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD). You need this to register the death. If the death was unexpected or the cause is unclear, it may be referred to a coroner — this can delay things.

Within 5 days: Register the death

In England and Wales, deaths must be registered within 5 days at the local register office (in the area where the death occurred). Check your local council website to book an appointment — walk-ins are rarely accepted.

Take to the appointment:

• The Medical Certificate of Cause of Death
• The deceased’s NHS number (if known)
• The deceased’s birth certificate and marriage certificate (if available — helpful but not always required)

You will receive a death certificate at the appointment. Order at least 6–10 certified copies. Each institution you contact will require one. It is much cheaper to order extras now (around £11 each) than to reorder later.

You will also receive a “green form” (BD8) which you give to the funeral director to allow burial or cremation to proceed.

First week: Practical and legal steps

Notify close family and friends

If not already done, inform close family members and friends personally before any public announcement.

Locate the will

Check at home (filing cabinet, safe, with personal documents), with any solicitors the deceased used, and with any banks where they had a safe deposit box. You can also search the National Will Register (run by Certainty, at certainty.co.uk) for a fee.

If a will exists, the executors named in it have the legal authority to administer the estate. If there is no will, the closest relatives have the right to apply for Letters of Administration.

Arrange the funeral

The funeral can proceed once you have the green form from the register office (or, in the case of a coroner’s referral, the coroner’s authority). The estate pays for the funeral; most funeral directors will defer payment until after probate.

Secure the property

If the deceased lived alone, visit the property to ensure it is secure. Check home insurance — many policies have conditions about unoccupied properties (often 30 or 60 days before the insurer requires notification). Notify the insurer of the death.

Cancel regular payments

Notify the deceased’s bank to flag the accounts (they can freeze the accounts to prevent fraud, while still allowing funeral costs to be paid). Cancel direct debits and standing orders where possible — though the bank may handle this.

First 2 weeks: Tell key organisations

Tell Us Once

The government’s Tell Us Once service notifies multiple government departments in a single step: DVLA (driving licence), DWP (state pension, benefits), HMRC (PAYE, self-assessment), Passport Office, local council (housing benefit, council tax), and electoral roll.

You receive the Tell Us Once reference number at the register office. Use it at gov.uk/after-a-death/organisations-you-need-to-contact.

Contact the employer (if applicable)

Notify the employer of the death. This stops pay and triggers death-in- service benefits (if applicable). The employer will also tell you about any pension.

Contact the DWP and pension providers

State pension and any benefits stop on the date of death (though overpaid amounts can sometimes be recovered). Private pension providers will need to be informed — and you should ask about any nominated beneficiary for the pension.

First month: Begin estate administration

• Build the estate profile — identify and list all assets (property, bank accounts, investments, pensions, insurance, vehicles, personal belongings) and all liabilities (mortgage, loans, credit cards, funeral expenses)
• Request date-of-death valuations from banks, investment platforms, and other financial institutions — allow 4–6 weeks
• Arrange a property valuation if the estate includes property
• Calculate IHT using TidyEstate’s free calculator — this tells you whether IHT is likely to apply and when the payment deadline is

A note on emotional wellbeing

Administering an estate while grieving is genuinely hard work. There is no shame in taking breaks, asking for help (from a co-executor, a family member, or a professional), or taking longer than you expected.

The legal deadlines are real — register the death within 5 days, pay IHT within 6 months — but almost everything else can flex a little. Be kind to yourself.