From Grief to Action: Essential Steps to Take After a Loved One's Passing

Losing someone close to you is a deeply emotional experience. While trying to deal with overwhelming grief, you may find yourself responsible for many tasks and decisions relating to the death and the distribution of your loved one's estate. Knowing what needs to be done during this challenging time can help make it easier and reduce stress. This blog outlines the actions you need to take when someone dies.

Notify the authorities

Who to notify depends on where and how the death happens. If someone dies at home, and it is expected, you'll need to contact the deceased's doctor to certify the death. They will also issue a medical certificate. However, you should call the emergency services if the death is unexpected. If the person dies in hospital or a hospice or care home, the staff usually notifies the authorities on your behalf.

Register the death and get a death certificate

In the UK, you must register a death within five days of someone dying (eight days in Scotland), and you will be given a death certificate. You'll need the certificate to deal with the deceased's legal and financial matters, such as closing bank accounts and telling utility providers. Getting several copies is advisable as you will likely be sorting out several things that require a certificate concurrently.

Tell family and friends

You should tell your close family and friends as soon as you can, so you can all support each other. They also may need to be involved in the arrangements and can help with the many administrative tasks that must be carried out. You may want to consider getting help from someone to tell people, as it is often emotionally challenging.

Make funeral arrangements

Often these days, people have made arrangements for their funeral while they are still alive, so check whether there's a pre-paid funeral plan or they've left instructions on what they want. Then, contact a funeral director. They will explain the process to you and help arrange a service, burial or cremation should the deceased have wanted one. Funeral directors can reduce stress with their kindness and knowledge, guiding you through a difficult time while dealing with your grief.

Locate the will and contact the executor

A will is a legal document that contains instructions on what to do with someone's estate (property and assets) after they die. It also names the person legally responsible for managing the estate - an executor. If you're not the executor, or there are more than one, you'll need to get in touch with them so they can start administering the estate.

If you can't find a copy of a will, there are websites you can use to check whether one has been made. The Government provides a probate search service, and there is also a National Will Register, which is a paid service.

Tell legal and financial organisations

Banks and creditors will need to be told of your loved one's death. Accounts will be frozen, although some banks will allow you to access the account if it is below a certain amount. The appointed executor will then settle any outstanding debts from the estate. If the deceased had a life insurance policy, you can contact the insurance company to make a claim. You should also contact their pension providers to stop payments and inquire about death benefits.

Notify Government departments

There are several government departments that you may have to tell about your loved one's death: council tax, HMRC, Passport Agency and the DVLA, for example. Rather than contacting them all separately, you or the executor can use the 'Tell Us Once' service, where you fill in one form and all the relevant departments will be told.

Apply for probate

Probate is the legal process of administering someone's estate. Financial institutions usually want proof of probate before releasing money unless the estate is very small. If there's no will, a next of kin can apply for letters of administration, which also lets someone manage an estate

Manage property

If your loved one had their own home, it will need to be secured and looked after while there's no one living in it. An inventory of their assets should be made, which includes property, vehicles, bank accounts, and personal belongings. This inventory will be needed for probate and estate distribution. We created Leighan's List for this exact purpose and to save time and stress during the traumatic days after someone's death.

Close or change digital accounts

​Also included in Leighan's List is a section for you to list digital accounts such as emails, social media, websites and cloud storage for documents and photos. These will need to be closed, or in the case of social media, you can change some to memorial accounts.

Get support

​You may feel overwhelmed by the loss of your family member, so please ask for support from your family and friends or get some counselling to help you deal with it. Many free services are available to support you during this difficult time.

Managing the practicalities after someone dies is always challenging, but having a plan in place can help you navigate the process. It will also ensure that your loved one's affairs are handled properly and their wishes are respected. It may also be helpful to get advice from a solicitor or financial advisor should you need it.