What to do when someone dies: the money and admin checklist

The first five days

The first practical step is the medical certificate of cause of death. A doctor who attended the deceased during their last illness usually completes this. If the death was unexpected, or the doctor had not seen the deceased in the 28 days before death, the case is referred to a coroner and the process takes longer. The medical certificate is not the same as the death certificate. It is the document that allows the death to be registered.

A death must be registered within 5 days in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and within 8 days in Scotland. Registration takes place at a register office, usually in the district where the death occurred. The informant is often a relative, but it can be someone present at the death, the person who found the body, or the person arranging the funeral. Take the medical certificate, the deceased's birth certificate if available, and their NHS number if known. The registrar will issue a death certificate. Buy several certified copies at the time, because banks, pension providers, insurers and probate all ask for them, and extra copies cost more later.

Tell Us Once is the next call. This service lets a death be reported to most government organisations in one go, including HMRC, DWP, the Passport Office, DVLA and the local council. The registrar normally gives a reference number for it, and it can be used online or by phone. It cancels benefits, updates tax records, stops a driving licence and removes the name from the electoral register. It does not cover banks, pensions or insurers, which must be contacted separately. Before making calls, gather the death certificate, the deceased's National Insurance number, their date and place of birth, and details of any benefits they received.

The 3,500 pound Bereavement Support Payment and other benefits

The 3,500 pound Bereavement Support Payment is the main DWP payment for a surviving spouse or civil partner. At the higher rate it is a 3,500 pound lump sum plus 350 pounds a month for up to 18 monthly payments. This rate applies to claimants who have dependent children or who were pregnant when their partner died. The standard rate is 2,500 pounds plus 100 pounds a month. Claim within 3 months of the death for the full amount. A later claim may still be accepted, but payments can be reduced. The claim is made to DWP, usually online or by phone, and the marriage or civil partnership must have existed at the time of death.

Other benefits may also change. A Funeral Expenses Payment is available to people receiving certain benefits who are responsible for a funeral. It can cover funeral director costs, burial or cremation fees, and some travel, though it is means tested and does not cover everything. The survivor's own benefits may need updating. Income related benefits are reassessed when a partner dies, and tax credits, Universal Credit and Housing Benefit can all change. Tell Us Once reports the death to DWP, but the survivor still needs to confirm their own circumstances. Pensions, both State Pension and private, are handled separately and are not part of Tell Us Once.

Banks, pensions and insurers

Banks normally freeze a sole account on notification of death. This stops direct debits and card payments, but the bank will usually release funds to pay the funeral bill directly to the funeral director. Ask about this early, because it avoids using the survivor's own money. A joint account passes to the surviving holder, so it is not frozen in the same way, though the bank still needs to be told. The Death Notification Service allows a single notification to participating banks and building societies, which saves repeating the same information. Take the death certificate to each bank, or use the service where available. Any accounts in the deceased's sole name will be closed and the balance released to the estate once probate is granted, unless the amount is small enough for the bank to release it without a grant.

Pensions need separate attention. The State Pension stops on death, and any overpayment is recovered. A surviving spouse or civil partner may be able to inherit part of a State Pension, depending on the deceased's record. Private and workplace pensions are different. Some pay a lump sum to a nominated beneficiary, some pay a survivor's pension, and some do neither. Contact each pension provider with the death certificate and ask what is payable. Life insurance claims are usually straightforward if the policy is in force and the death is covered. Insurers ask for the death certificate and sometimes the medical certificate. Payment is normally made to the named beneficiary or to the estate. Utilities, council tax, subscriptions and mobile contracts also need to be closed or transferred, and Tell Us Once covers council tax but not private companies.

Probate and letters of administration

A grant of probate is needed when the deceased left a will and owned assets in their sole name, such as a property, shares or accounts above the bank's release limit. If there is no will, the equivalent is letters of administration, and the person applying is an administrator rather than an executor. The probate application fee in England and Wales is 300 pounds for estates valued over 5,000 pounds and nil below that. The application is made to the Probate Service, usually online, and requires an inheritance tax account or a confirmation that the estate is excepted. Timescales vary. A straightforward application can be granted in a few weeks, but complex estates, missing documents or inheritance tax queries can take several months.

Executors are named in the will and have the legal authority to deal with the estate. Administrators are appointed under the intestacy rules when there is no will, usually the closest surviving relative. Both roles involve collecting the assets, paying debts and tax, and distributing what remains. The Death Notification Service can help with banks, but it does not replace the grant. Before applying, list all assets and debts, including property, bank accounts, investments, pensions with a lump sum, credit cards, loans and utility balances. The grant proves the executor's or administrator's authority, and institutions release assets once they have seen it. Keep copies of every form and letter, because the estate may need to be accounted for later.

Inheritance tax

Inheritance tax is charged at 40 percent above the 325,000 pound nil-rate band. Transfers to a spouse or civil partner are exempt, so an estate passing entirely to a surviving spouse usually pays no inheritance tax. The residence nil-rate band can add to the threshold when a main home is passed to direct descendants, though it is tapered for larger estates. The tax is due by the end of the sixth month after the month of death. Interest is charged on late payments, so the deadline matters even if probate has not yet been granted. Some of the tax can be paid in instalments on certain assets, such as property, but this must be arranged with HMRC.

The main form is IHT400, supported by schedules listing assets, gifts and exemptions. Smaller estates may qualify as excepted estates, which means a shorter form and no full inheritance tax account. Even where no tax is due, a form may still be required to confirm the position. Gifts made in the seven years before death are usually included, and lifetime transfers above the annual exemption can reduce the nil-rate band. Professional advice is common for larger or more complex estates. Once the tax position is settled and any payment made, the probate application can proceed. The grant is not usually issued until HMRC has processed the inheritance tax account, so the two steps are linked.

Distributing the estate and closing down

After the grant, the executor or administrator collects the assets and pays the debts. Debts include credit cards, loans, utility balances, council tax and any inheritance tax due. A deceased estates notice can be placed in a local paper and the London Gazette to protect against unknown creditors. This gives creditors a set period to come forward, after which the estate can be distributed with more confidence. Once debts and tax are paid, the remaining estate is distributed under the will or, if there is no will, under the intestacy rules. Those rules set out who inherits and in what order, starting with a spouse or civil partner and children. Keep records of every payment and distribution, because beneficiaries are entitled to see how the estate was handled.

Finally, close down the remaining accounts. Cancel the deceased's passport, driving licence and any professional registrations if Tell Us Once has not already done so. Close email accounts, social media profiles and subscriptions, and redirect or stop post. Keep the death certificate and grant in a safe place, because copies may be needed for years afterwards. If the estate is complex, or if there is a dispute, legal advice may be needed. For most straightforward estates, the process is administrative rather than legal. Further guidance on probate and estate administration is available in the related guides on this site.

Source: GOV.UK: What to do when someone dies.

Related coverage on Kael Tripton: Writing life insurance in trust: how it avoids inheritance tax and probate delays, How Much Does It Cost to Contest Probate in the UK?, Grant of Probate vs Letters of Administration UK 2026, Inheritance tax: married couples vs unmarried partners and the spouse exemption, IHT Pension Inclusion UK 2027: How Pensions Will Be Brought Into Inheritance Tax.

Frequently asked questions

How long do I have to register a death?

A death must be registered within 5 days in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and within 8 days in Scotland. The count usually starts from the date the death was reported to the registrar, and a coroner referral can extend the process.

What is Tell Us Once?

Tell Us Once lets a death be reported to most government organisations in one go, including HMRC, DWP, the Passport Office, DVLA and the local council. The registrar normally provides a reference number for the service.

How much is Bereavement Support Payment?

The higher rate is a 3,500 pound lump sum plus 350 pounds a month for up to 18 monthly payments, for claimants with dependent children or who were pregnant. The standard rate is 2,500 pounds plus 100 pounds a month. Claim within 3 months of the death for the full amount.

How much does probate cost?

The probate application fee in England and Wales is 300 pounds for estates valued over 5,000 pounds and nil below that. Additional copies of the grant cost extra.

When is inheritance tax due?

Inheritance tax is due by the end of the sixth month after the month of death. It is charged at 40 percent above the 325,000 pound nil-rate band, with transfers to a spouse or civil partner exempt.