What to Do When Someone Dies
Losing a loved one is never easy, and leaves so many arrangements to make that knowing where to begin can be overwhelming. Whilst we know it will be a difficult time, the following guide should help you prioritise the steps you need to take. Our experienced solicitors are more than happy to assist with individual steps, or can handle the entire process from start to finish should you prefer. If you would like to discuss any of this in more detail then please feel free to contact our offices and we would be glad to help.
Register the Death
The doctor in attendance will complete the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death and send it to the medical examiner.
The medical examiner will review the information to make sure it is accurate before contacting you to discuss the cause of death and to answer any questions you might have.
The medical examiner will then send the paperwork to the registration service who will contact the next of kin to arrange an appointment to register the death. This appointment must take place within 5 days.
However, if the death has been referred to the coroner, the process may take a little longer but the Coroner's Office will complete the paperwork and contact you. The coroner will then provide the necessary paperwork to the registration service, who will then contact the next of kin to arrange an appointment to register the death.
When you attend the office, you will need to take the medical certificate and, if possible, any identification documents for the person that you have access to; such as a passport, driving licence, birth certificate, etc.
The Registrar will then provide you with a Death Certificate (we would advise that you also purchase one or two extra copies just in case, as most of the organisations you will be dealing with going forward will not accept photocopies), along with a Burial/Cremation slip known as a ‘Green Form’. You can use this slip to begin arranging the funeral, as it will be required by the Funeral Director.
If it is available in your area, the Registrar will also speak to you about the Government’s ‘Tell Us Once’ service, which will notify all the various Government services of the death.
Locate the Will
The most important document to locate will be your loved one’s Will. If a Will was written then it must be found. If you are unsure about where the Will may be, try contacting their Solicitor or Bank, as it is common for Wills to be stored with them. If you cannot find the Will, you can always conduct a search of The National Wills Registry.
The Will should list the Executors who will be responsible for administering the estate.
If no Will was prepared, then the person is said to have passed away ‘intestate’ and the Law will determine who is responsible for administrating the estate, as well as how any assets and monies are divided. We would be more than happy to advise you on this if required.
Arrange the Funeral
With the Green Form supplied by the Registrar, you can now organise the Funeral. Make sure to check the Will, as it may contain wishes for the funeral, along with details of any potential pre-paid funeral plans.
Funeral Directors are regulated, and will supply you a breakdown of their costs upon request. The Local Council may also offer their own funeral service should you prefer.
Collect Any Other Paperwork You Can Find
One you have located the Will, try and find as many other pieces of paperwork you can find. There will be many different organisations to notify of the death, all of which will have various account names and references attached to them, so the more documentation you have available the easier this will be. Try to locate as much paperwork as you can, relating to things such as:
- Social services, particularly if they had nursing care or home help
- Local council for council tax and any parking permits for street or disabled parking. It may also be worth registering on the Bereavement Register so you will not receive any junk mail.
- DVLA to return their license and register a change of ownership on the vehicle
- Insurance companies, for both life insurance as well as house & contents insurance
- Bank and Mortgage provider(s)
- Utility companies; electricity, gas, water, telephone & internet
- Royal Mail if a redirect is necessary
- All loans, credit card and store card companies
- TV licensing
- Membership of clubs and associations
- UK Passport Agency
- Pension providers
How Can Our Family Law Solicitors Help?
If you have any queries about any of the processes involved in administering the estate of someone who has passed away, please feel free to contact our offices and one of our specialist team will be happy to help.
If you know someone who has passed away, and feel that their wishes are not being carried out, or that their estate is being administered improperly, then our Dispute Resolution team may be able to help you further.
Alternatively, the following resources may prove useful in answering any queries you may have:
How to Make a Will
Making a Will is commonly associated as something you do in later life however, in reality anyone over the age of 18 can have a Will and we would strongly recommend it to anyone with children.
What happens to debt after someone dies?
When someone you love has passed away, the last thing you might be thinking about is debt. However, there are many misconceptions about debt and inheritance, and it is essential to understand your position.
Advice on Probate
We know how difficult it can be to lose a loved one and we would like to help you by covering some of the basics of dealing with probate.
Essential considerations when completing probate online
We know losing a loved one can be a very difficult and emotional time and that being an executor of a will is a big responsibility. This guide is essential reading if you are considering online probate.
Online Probate – is it always a viable option to take?
Earlier in the year it was announced that a new online service to apply for probate would be introduced. This meant that those applying for probate could do so from the comfort of their own home, potentially negating the need for involvement from a solicitor.
Proposed increase on probate fees scrapped
Following the announcement of the snap general election to take place on 8th June, the government has decided to scrap its plans to increase the legal fees due after a person has died. Having proposed a rise in probate fees in England and Wales to come into effect in May, which would have seen an increase from the current flat figures of £155 or £215 to as much as £20,000 for the most valuable estates, the Ministry of Justice announced in the second half of April that there was too little time for the legislation to go through parliament before the election.
What to Do When Someone Dies - A Step by Step Guide
We know from experience that when you lose a loved one it is often difficult to know what to do first. This simple guide explains the steps involved, what needs to be done at each stage and where legal support may be required.
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