1. Get a Medical Certificate

A doctor needs to certify the death and issue a medical certificate of cause of death. If the death occurred in a hospital or care home, staff will usually handle this. If at home, you'll need to contact the GP practice [citation:9].

In most cases, the medical examiner's office will contact you to explain the cause of death and answer any questions [citation:6].

2. Register the Death

In England and Wales, you must register the death within 5 days (including weekends and bank holidays). You'll need to do this in person at a register office – ideally in the area where the person died [citation:6][citation:9].

What to take:

• The medical certificate of cause of death (in its sealed envelope)
• Proof of identity (passport, driving licence, recent bills)
• The person's birth certificate, marriage/civil partnership certificate if available
• Their NHS number, National Insurance number, and address [citation:9]

What you'll receive:

• A Certificate for Burial or Cremation ('green form') – free
• Death certificates – £12.50 each. Buy several copies now – they're much more expensive later [citation:9]

3. Use the Tell Us Once Service

When you register the death, the registrar will ask if you want to use the free Tell Us Once service. This notifies multiple government departments in one go, including [citation:3][citation:6]:

• HMRC (for tax and Child Benefit)
• DWP (to cancel benefits and State Pension)
• Passport Office
• DVLA (to cancel driving licence and vehicle registration)
• Local council (for council tax, Blue Badge, electoral register)
• Veterans UK (if applicable)

4. Notify Other Organisations

You'll also need to contact [citation:6][citation:9]:

• Banks and building societies
• Employer or business partners
• Pension providers
• Insurance companies
• Utility companies (gas, electricity, water)
• Credit card companies and lenders
• Landlord or housing association
• TV, broadband, and mobile providers

5. Find the Will

Look for the Will among the deceased's paperwork. If you can't find it, you can search the National Will Register (there is a fee). The Will names the executors – the people responsible for administering the estate [citation:9].

6. What If There's No Will?

If someone dies without a Will, they die 'intestate'. The law decides who inherits – usually close relatives in a strict order. In this case, someone must apply to become the 'administrator' and obtain Letters of Administration instead of a Grant of Probate [citation:5][citation:9].

7. Value the Estate

You need to identify and value all assets and liabilities [citation:1]:

Assets include:

• Property and land
• Bank and building society accounts
• Investments and shares
• Pensions (some may be taxable)
• Life insurance payouts
• Personal possessions of value
• Vehicles

Liabilities include:

• Outstanding mortgages
• Loans and credit card debts
• Household bills
• Funeral costs

8. Check if Inheritance Tax Is Due

Inheritance Tax is payable if the estate exceeds certain thresholds. The current nil-rate band is £325,000, with amounts above this taxed at 40%. Additional reliefs may apply, such as the Residence Nil-Rate Band if a family home is left to direct descendants [citation:1].

Gifts to spouses and charities are typically exempt. If any tax is due, it must usually be paid before applying for probate [citation:1].

9. Apply for Probate

A Grant of Probate (or Letters of Administration if there's no Will) gives you legal authority to deal with the estate. The application fee is £300 for estates over £5,000, or free for smaller estates. It typically takes around 16 weeks to receive the grant [citation:8].

Some assets (like jointly owned property or joint bank accounts) may pass directly to the surviving owner without needing probate [citation:8].

If the estate includes property, executors have additional duties [citation:10]:

• Secure the property: Change locks if needed, arrange regular inspections
• Arrange specialist probate insurance: Standard home insurance usually lapses when a property becomes empty
• Maintain the property: Regular cleaning, garden care, repairs, winterising pipes
• Pay ongoing costs: Council tax, utilities, mortgage payments
• Obtain a RICS valuation: Essential for Inheritance Tax and setting a sale price [citation:10]

If the estate lacks cash to cover these costs, probate loans or estate expense loans may be available [citation:10].

Once all debts, taxes, and expenses are paid, you can distribute what's left to the beneficiaries according to the Will (or intestacy rules) [citation:1].

Final steps:

• Prepare detailed estate accounts showing all income, expenses, and distributions
• Obtain receipts or signed releases from beneficiaries
• Transfer property or assets (this may require new deeds or Land Registry registration) [citation:10]