After a death admin checklist
There's no need to do all of this at once. Registering the death comes first — it's what produces the certified copies everything else on this list depends on.
27 items
Makes your own editable copy. No account needed.
The items
- Death registered
- Appointment booked with the register office
- Medical certificate obtained from the doctor or hospital
- Several certified copies orderedMost organisations on this list will want an original.
- Funeral director instructed, if not already arranged
- Will located and the named executor confirmed
- Probate or letters of administration consideredNeeded before some accounts release funds — check the current rules for whether it applies here.
- Banks and building societies notified
- Each account reported individually
- Joint accounts checked for what happens to them automatically
- Pensions notified
- State pension
- Workplace pensions
- Any private pensions
- HMRC notified and any tax affairs closed
- Utilities and council notified
- Gas and electricity
- Water
- Council tax
- TV licence
- Insurance providers toldLife insurance claims started; home and car policies updated or cancelled.
- Employer notified, for final pay, pension and any life insurance held through work
- Passport and driving licence returned or cancelled
- Mortgage lender or landlord notified
- Subscriptions and memberships cancelled
- Post redirected
- Other family and close contacts told, beyond the initial news
Makes your own editable copy. No account needed.
Questions people ask
- How soon does any of this need doing?
- Registering the death has a general timeframe worth checking, but nothing else here is urgent within the first few days — the paperwork can wait while you need it to.
- Do we need probate before touching any accounts?
- It depends on what's held and where — some accounts release smaller amounts without it, others won't move anything until it's granted. Check the current rules.
- What's the one document everything else depends on?
- The certified copy of the death certificate from registering it. Order several — most organisations want to see an original, not a photocopy.