What to do first

First you need to register the death at the register office.

Tell Us Once helps you report a death to most government organisations in one go. The registrar will tell you about it and there’s more information at www.gov.uk.

Terms you'll hear

Death certificate – when someone dies, you’ll need to register the death at a registry office.  The death will be recorded by a registrar and they’ll issue a document called a death certificate. When you register the death it might be helpful to get copies of the death certificate, as you might need several of these for different organisations.

Personal Representative - this is the executor or administrator who will deal with your loved one's money and property (their estate).

Executor -the person or person(s) named in the Will to deal with the estate.

Administrator/Executor-dative – this person or person(s) are appointed when no Will can be found or if there’s no executor to carry out the intentions in the Will.

Grant of Probate/Confirmation – after someone dies, depending on the value of your loved one’s property, money and possessions, you may need to apply for a legal right to deal with their estate. If your loved one left a Will, then you’ll get a grant of probate or confirmation. If they didn’t leave a Will, then in England and Wales you’ll get Letters of Administration.