Pause. You do not have to do everything today.
Almost nothing in the first hours is truly urgent except care for the people present. The admin can wait until you have caught your breath.
What to do when someone dies in the UK
The UK gives you one enormous shortcut (Tell Us Once) and two hard deadlines. Here is the whole path, in order.
Scotland and Northern Ireland differ from England & Wales on some timings and processes (noted where relevant).
The deadlines that actually bite
within 1 day
Check organ or body donation wishes (time-sensitive)Donation windows are very short — raise it immediately if relevant.
within 1 day
Get the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (and medical examiner sign-off)Needed before you can register the death.
within 5 days
Register the death (within 5 days in England & Wales; 8 in Scotland)Within 5 days (England, Wales & NI) or 8 days (Scotland), unless a coroner is involved.
within 6 months
Inheritance TaxTax usually due by the end of the 6th month after death; interest accrues after that.
within 3 months
Check for Bereavement Support Payment and other helpClaim within 3 months for the full amount.
Every step, in order
Right now
The first hours. Mostly about people and care, not paperwork.
Check organ or body donation wishes (time-sensitive)
Time-sensitive · 1d
If the person wished to donate organs or their body to science, this is only possible for a short window and is usually arranged with the hospital or donation registry quickly.
Tell the people who need to hear it from you
The closest people should learn it directly, not from social media or a chain message. Beyond that, you can delegate.
Get the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (and medical examiner sign-off)
Time-sensitive · 1d
You cannot register the death without it. Since 2024 a medical examiner independently reviews the cause of death before registration in England & Wales.
The first week
Registering the death and arranging the funeral.
Find any funeral wishes or a prepaid funeral plan before arranging
Many people leave instructions, prepay a plan, or hold funeral insurance. Finding these first can save money and honour their wishes — and you do not want to discover a paid plan after paying again.
Secure their home, pets, and essentials
An empty home can be a target, perishables spoil, pets need care, and bills keep running.
Notify their employer (and ask about benefits owed)
Final pay, a workplace pension, life insurance "death in service", or owed holiday may be due to the estate — and HR can stop ongoing deductions.
Register the death (within 5 days in England & Wales; 8 in Scotland)
Time-sensitive · 5d
Registering produces the death certificate and gives you the "Tell Us Once" reference that notifies most of government in one go.
Use "Tell Us Once" to notify government in one step
A single free service notifies HMRC, DWP (pensions/benefits), the Passport Office, DVLA, and the local council — saving dozens of separate calls.
Arrange the funeral (check for a prepaid plan first)
Check for a funeral plan or expressed wishes before committing. If money is tight, help may be available.
The first month
Estate, notifications, and the official admin.
Monitor or redirect their post
Incoming mail tells you which institutions still need notifying — and unmonitored mail is a common route for identity theft of the deceased.
Cancel subscriptions and recurring payments
Streaming, memberships, software, and direct debits keep charging. Stopping them prevents wasted money and surfaces accounts you did not know about.
Find the will and apply for probate (or letters of administration)
Probate is the legal right to deal with the estate. Banks and the Land Registry generally need it before releasing larger assets or transferring property.
Inheritance Tax — report and pay on time
Time-sensitive · 180d
IHT (if due) must be reported and the tax usually paid by the end of the sixth month after death — and probate often will not issue until IHT is dealt with.
Check for Bereavement Support Payment and other help
Time-sensitive · 90d
A surviving spouse/civil partner under State Pension age may be entitled to Bereavement Support Payment — but it is time-limited, so claim promptly.
Notify banks, pensions, and insurers
Beyond Tell Us Once, private institutions need separate notice. Many banks share a single bereavement notification service.
Later
Things with longer deadlines, and closing loose ends.
Memorialize or close online and social accounts
Dormant accounts can be hijacked, and active profiles can be painful for loved ones. Most major platforms have a process for the deceased.
Look after your own grief
The admin ends; grief does not run on a schedule. Support is not a luxury — it helps you function through the rest of this list too.
Money you may be owed after a death
FAQ
How long do you have to register a death in the UK?
Within 5 days in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or 8 days in Scotland, unless the death has been referred to a coroner (procurator fiscal in Scotland).
What is Tell Us Once?
A free government service that notifies HMRC, DWP, the Passport Office, DVLA and the local council in one step. The registrar gives you a reference when you register the death; use it within 28 days. It covers England, Wales and Scotland; Northern Ireland has separate arrangements.
How much is a death certificate in the UK?
Certified copies cost around £12.50 each in England and Wales. Order several, because institutions ask for originals in parallel.
How long do you have to claim Bereavement Support Payment?
Claim within 3 months of the death to get the full amount. You can still claim later, but you get less.