Someone has died — what do I do now?

There is no single right way to handle this. Every family's situation is different, and most things can wait longer than you think. The only genuinely time-sensitive tasks in the first few days are getting the medical certificate, registering the death, and contacting a funeral director. Everything else can follow at your own pace.

In England and Wales, a death must be registered at a local register office within five days — in Scotland, within eight days. Before you can do this, a doctor needs to issue a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death. If your loved one died in hospital or a hospice, the ward team will arrange this. If they died at home, contact their GP.

Once you have the certificate, book an appointment at your local register office. Appointments are required and can fill up quickly, so book as soon as possible. At the appointment you'll receive the death certificate — buy at least six certified copies at around £11 each. You'll need them for banks, insurance companies, and probate.

At the same time, contact a funeral director. You don't need to have made any decisions about the funeral yet. A single phone call is enough to start the process.

If a doctor was not present when your loved one died, or if the cause of death is unclear, the case will be referred to a coroner. This is normal and does not mean anything was wrong.

When a coroner is involved, you cannot register the death or arrange the funeral until the coroner releases the body. This can take days or sometimes weeks.

The most important thing to do immediately is contact a funeral director — ideally one with experience of coroner cases. They will liaise with the coroner's office on your behalf and be ready to act the moment your loved one is released. You do not need to navigate this alone.

Once the immediate tasks are handled, there is a second wave of notifications to work through. These are important but most can wait a week or two after the funeral.

Tell Us Once is a free government service available through the register office. It notifies HMRC, DWP, DVLA, the passport office, and local council services in a single step — use it at your registration appointment and complete it within 28 days.

Banks and building societies are not covered by Tell Us Once. Each one needs to be contacted individually with a copy of the death certificate. The Death Notification Service covers most major UK banks and allows you to notify several at once.

Other notifications to work through in the first month: their employer or pension provider, insurance companies, landlord or mortgage provider, and any subscriptions or direct debits.

Probate is the legal process that gives someone authority to manage and distribute the estate. Not every death requires it.

If your loved one owned property in their sole name, or had significant assets above around £5,000 to £10,000 with most financial institutions, you will almost certainly need probate.

If they owned everything jointly with a spouse or partner, probate may not be needed at all — jointly owned assets usually pass automatically to the surviving owner.

The process involves valuing the estate, completing an inheritance tax return, and applying to the Probate Registry. For straightforward estates you can do this yourself through GOV.UK. For anything complex — property, multiple accounts, inheritance tax liability, or any disputes — a probate solicitor is strongly recommended.

Inheritance tax is charged at 40% on the value of the estate above £325,000. If your loved one owned a home and left it to direct descendants, an additional allowance of up to £175,000 may apply — raising the threshold to £500,000.

Spouses and civil partners inherit tax-free regardless of the estate value.

Inheritance tax must be paid before probate is granted, which creates a timing challenge. An accountant or probate solicitor can help you navigate this correctly and ensure you claim every allowance available.

If your loved one owned their home, the property cannot be sold or transferred until probate is granted — in most cases. Once probate is in place, you have three options: sell the property, transfer it to a beneficiary named in the will, or in some cases rent it out.

Clearing the property is a separate task from selling it. A professional house clearance company can handle the removal, donation, and disposal of contents — this is one of the most emotionally demanding parts of the process, and professional help makes a significant difference.

Estate administration typically takes between six months and two years depending on complexity. Simple estates with no property and modest assets can sometimes be wrapped up in a few months. Complex estates with property, multiple beneficiaries, inheritance tax liability, or any disputes can take considerably longer.

The most important thing is not to rush. Take the time you need. Most deadlines are longer than people expect, and the ones that aren't are clearly flagged in this guide.