Most of it can wait. Here's the order it happens in.
The first hour and day — slow down
There is almost nothing you must do immediately. If the death was expected and at home, call the GP surgery; if it was sudden or unexpected, call 999. In a hospital or hospice, the staff handle the first steps and a bereavement officer will guide you. Take the rest at your own pace — telling close family can happen over hours, not minutes.
The medical certificate and registering the death
A doctor confirms the cause of death. In England and Wales every death not referred to a coroner is now reviewed by a medical examiner before it can be registered. Once the medical examiner's office confirms you can register, you register the death at the local register office — within 5 days of that confirmation in England and Wales (8 days in Scotland). The registrar gives you certified copies (most families need four to six) and the certificate for the funeral.
Tell government once, not ten times
When you register, the registrar offers Tell Us Once — a free service that notifies most government departments in a single step: HMRC, DWP, DVLA, the Passport Office, the local council, State Pension and Veterans UK. It saves dozens of separate phone calls. You can complete it at the register office or online afterwards. One limit worth knowing: it reaches government only — banks, insurers and private pension providers are never on its list, and each of those still needs telling separately.
The funeral, banks and pensions
You don't have to use a funeral director, and there's no rush to book — compare a couple of quotes when you're ready. Notifying the bank can wait a few days: sole accounts freeze on notification (direct debits stop) — the money stays put, protected but out of reach until the bank releases it — while joint accounts pass to the surviving holder. The funeral needn't wait for that: most banks will pay the funeral director's invoice directly from a frozen account. Pension and life-policy providers each need telling separately; some pay out quickly.
Probate and the estate
Probate usually begins around the third or fourth week, and the work runs over months, not days. If the estate is below the £325,000 nil-rate band and simple, many executors do it themselves. The probate application fee is £526 for estates over £5,000 (free for £5,000 or less). This is informational, not legal advice — get tailored help for anything complex or contested.
The first year
From the grant of probate to final distribution typically takes 6–12 months. The executor settles debts and tax, then distributes what's left to the beneficiaries. None of this is urgent in the early weeks — it's a marathon, and pacing yourself is the right instinct.
What to do when someone dies — the checklist.
Free to use — nothing to sign up for. Work down it at your own pace.
- Get the medical certificate of cause of death (the doctor or hospital arranges this)
- Register the death within 5 days (8 in Scotland) — book the register office appointment
- Order four to six certified copies of the death certificate at registration
- Use Tell Us Once to notify government departments in one step
- Find the will and identify the executor
- Notify the bank, pension providers and any life-insurance policies
- Choose a funeral director and check for a pre-paid plan or recorded wishes
- Work out whether probate is needed and whether any inheritance tax is due
Answered, plainly.
Tools and help
If the estate is complex — property in sole ownership, significant assets, a contested will, a business, or assets abroad — these estates benefit from early specialist involvement. Signum carries the reviewed route where a professional is needed.
When you're ready — not before — our £179 Executor's First Hour walks you through registering the death, notifying banks and pensions, and getting probate started, in the right order. The free checklist above covers the essentials; this is for when you'd rather have a hand to hold.
Executor's First HourInformational, not legal or financial advice. This guide covers England and Wales; Scotland and Northern Ireland differ. Always confirm current rules and figures at GOV.UK before acting.