ℹ️General information only. Last reviewed April 2026. Rules can change. Speak to a qualified professional for legal or financial advice.

Bereavement guide

What to Do When Someone Dies in the UK: A Step-by-Step Guide

When someone close to you dies, there are practical steps you need to take in the first hours, days, and weeks. This guide walks you through each of them in plain language. There is no single right order. Do what you can, when you can.

This guide is for you if:

Someone close to you has just died — jump to First Steps
You are preparing for a death that may be coming soon — jump to Planning Ahead
You are helping a family member through a bereavement — read the full guide

At a glance

Steps to work through

9 in this guide

Take them at your own pace

Within 5 days

In England, Wales, and Northern Ireland

Probate timeline

6-12 months

For a straightforward estate

Free bereavement support

Cruse 0808 808 1677

One-to-one counselling and group support

The First 24 Hours

The immediate steps depend on where and how the person died.

If the person died at home and the death was expected:

Contact their GP (in hours) or NHS 111 (out of hours). Do not call 999.
The doctor will confirm the death and issue the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD).

If the person died at home and the death was unexpected:

Call 999.
Police may attend. This is routine, not a sign of wrongdoing.
The coroner may need to be involved. This can delay registration.

If the person died in hospital:

Hospital staff handle immediate arrangements.
You will meet the Bereavement Office to collect the MCCD.
The hospital will ask about your funeral director preference.

If the person died in a hospice or care home:

Staff will contact the GP and guide you through next steps.
You can spend time with the person who has died if you wish.

You do not need to make funeral decisions immediately. Funeral directors will collect the person at any time, day or night, and keep them in their care while you take the time you need.

The Medical Certificate and the Medical Examiner

If you are in England or Wales, the Medical Examiner system applies to all non-coroner deaths as of September 2024. A Medical Examiner independently reviews the cause of death before the MCCD is finalised. This typically adds 24 to 72 hours.

Scotland and Northern Ireland have different systems. Check gov.scot for Scotland or nidirect.gov.uk for Northern Ireland.

The MCCD is now issued digitally in most cases. Plan for this delay when thinking about funeral arrangements and timings.

Planning ahead: If you know a death is coming soon, ask the GP or hospice team what to expect from the Medical Examiner process in your area. It varies by region.

Registering the Death

Registering a death is a legal requirement and must happen within 5 days in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland (8 days in Scotland).

Register at the local register office covering where the person died, not necessarily where they lived. Most councils require online booking. Do this as soon as you have the MCCD.

Bring: the MCCD, passport, birth certificate, NHS card, marriage or civil partnership certificate if applicable, and proof of address. Most documents are helpful but not all are legally required to proceed.

Documents issued:

Death certificate: order extra copies. You will typically need 4 to 6 for banks, pensions, and probate. Each copy costs around £12.50 in England and Wales.
Certificate for Burial or Cremation (the green form or Form 9): your funeral director needs this.
Certificate of Registration of Death (BD8): for benefits.

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Tell Us Once

Tell Us Once is a free government service that lets you notify most government departments in one go. The register office will give you a unique reference number. It covers HMRC, DWP, DVLA, Passport Office, and local council services. Use it — it saves hours of repeat calls.

Arranging the Funeral

You can contact a funeral director before registering the death. A good funeral director collects and cares for the person who has died, guides you through service options, handles paperwork with the register office, and manages the ceremony on the day.

Typical costs in the UK: £4,000 to £5,000 for a traditional attended funeral; £1,000 to £2,500 for a direct cremation (without a ceremony) (SunLife, 2024). Costs vary significantly by region and by funeral director. Compare at least two or three quotes.

Key considerations: burial vs cremation, religious or cultural requirements, any pre-paid funeral plan the person held. If you are unsure where to start, read our guide to cremation costs and options.

Compare funeral directors in Manchester or search your local area using our directory.

Notifying Banks, Utilities, and Services

After registering the death, you will need to notify various organisations. This is time-consuming but essential.

You will typically need to contact:

Bank accounts and building societies
Utility companies (gas, electricity, water, broadband)
Insurance (home, car, life, travel)
Subscriptions (streaming services, memberships, magazines)
Employers (if relevant)
Clubs and memberships
Landlord or mortgage provider (if applicable)
Council tax office (a reduction often becomes available during probate)
TV licence

The Tell Us Once service handles government notifications. For other organisations, you will need to contact each one directly by phone, letter, or online form.

Dealing with the Estate and Probate

Probate is the legal process of managing the deceased's assets and distributing them per their will (or intestacy rules if no will existed). You may or may not need it, depending on the size and complexity of the estate.

When probate is needed:

Property owned in the deceased's sole name
Savings or investments above the bank's release threshold (typically £5,000 to £50,000, varies by bank)
Shares or business interests

When probate is not needed:

Small estates (total value below the bank's threshold)
All assets jointly held (they pass automatically to the surviving owner)
Assets with named beneficiaries (such as pension death benefits or life insurance)

Timeline and cost:

Typical timeline: 6 to 12 months for a straightforward estate; longer if complex or contested
DIY probate application: £273 plus £1.50 per copy of the grant (apply through HMCTS online)
Solicitor-led probate: £1,500 to £10,000+ depending on complexity and hourly rates
Fixed-fee probate services: available from specialist providers; obtain a written quote before instructing

For more detail, read our guide to understanding probate.

Benefits and Financial Support

The person who has died may have been eligible for benefits, and survivors may be entitled to financial support.

For survivors:

Bereavement Support Payment: up to 18 monthly payments for those under State Pension age whose partner died. A lump sum first payment plus monthly instalments.
Funeral Expenses Payment: for those on qualifying benefits, up to £1,000 towards funeral costs plus some other expenses.
Widowed Parent's Allowance: a legacy benefit, only if the partner died before April 2017.

For the estate:

State Pension and Carer's Allowance may stop or change. Report the death promptly to DWP.
A tax refund may be due to the estate if the person died partway through the tax year. HMRC must be notified.

These benefits are UK-specific and amounts change regularly. Check gov.uk for current details and eligibility.

Wills, Lasting Power of Attorney, and Your Own Planning

Many people review their own will and Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) after a bereavement. It can feel practical and grounding to put your own affairs in order while helping to manage someone else's.

A will sets out how your estate should be distributed and who will be your executor. A Lasting Power of Attorney lets you appoint someone to make decisions about your health or finances if you become unable to.

If you do not yet have a will, writing one is one of the most useful things you can do, especially if you have dependents or significant assets. Likewise, if you are of working age, an LPA is practical peace of mind.

Read our guide to writing a will. For Lasting Power of Attorney, visit gov.uk/power-of-attorney. Note that registering an LPA involves fees and a formal process; current costs are set out on that page.

Looking After Yourself

Grief has no timeline and no correct form. You may feel numb, exhausted, relieved, angry, or nothing at all. Sometimes all of these at once. Your feelings are not wrong.

Practical tasks can feel overwhelming. Write things down. Accept help from people who offer it. Rest when you can. There is no schedule you must keep.

Free support services:

Cruse Bereavement Care: 0808 808 1677. One-to-one counselling, group support, and online resources.
Samaritans: 116 123. Available 24/7 if you need to talk.
Age UK: 0800 678 1602. Advice specific to later-life bereavement and financial matters.

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about what to do after someone dies in the UK.

In England, Wales, and Northern Ireland you have 5 days. In Scotland you have 8 days. The clock starts from the date of death, not when you receive the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death. If the death is referred to a coroner, registration may be delayed — the coroner's office will advise you.

Not always. For small, straightforward estates — particularly where assets are jointly held or below the bank's release threshold — you may not need a solicitor at all. If the estate includes property in the deceased's sole name, significant savings, or investments, you will likely need probate, and a solicitor or specialist service can help. Always obtain a written quote before instructing.

A traditional attended funeral in the UK costs £4,000 to £5,000 on average. A direct cremation (without a ceremony) costs £1,000 to £2,500. Prices vary significantly by region and funeral director. Comparing at least two or three quotes is always worthwhile.

Tell Us Once is a free government service that lets you notify most government departments about a death in one step. When you register the death, the registrar will give you a unique reference number. You then use this on the Tell Us Once website or by phone to notify HMRC, DWP, DVLA, the Passport Office, and your local council simultaneously.

A straightforward estate with a valid will typically takes 6 to 12 months from application to distribution. Estates with property, Inheritance Tax to pay, or contested wills take longer — sometimes 18 months or more. The probate registry itself currently takes around 16 weeks to issue a grant after receiving the application.