First Steps

The death of someone close is an overwhelming experience, and it's natural to feel uncertain about what needs to be done. In the UK, there are specific legal requirements and practical tasks that must be completed within certain timeframes, but you don't need to face them all at once.

In the first few hours, the priority is getting a medical certificate of cause of death (MCCD). If the person died at home, you'll need to call their GP or 111. If they died in hospital, the hospital will handle this. There's no rush to move the person—they can stay at home until you're ready, and many families find comfort in having some private time before the funeral director arrives.

Within the first 5 days (8 days in Scotland), you must register the death at your local register office. You'll receive copies of the death certificate, which you'll need for banks, insurers, and other organisations. Most register offices now allow appointments to be booked online.

The Tell Us Once service, available when you register, can notify most government departments at once—saving you from making dozens of separate calls. This single step can inform HMRC, the DVLA, the Passport Office, and local council services.

Funeral arrangements typically need to begin within the first week, though there's no strict legal deadline. The funeral director will guide you through options and help with practical arrangements like transporting the person to their premises.

During the first month, you'll start to address longer-term matters: notifying banks and building societies, cancelling subscriptions, redirecting post, and beginning to understand whether probate is needed. Our guides break down each of these tasks into manageable steps, so you can work through them at your own pace.

Remember: there's no "right way" to grieve, and everyone moves through these tasks differently. Some people find focusing on practical tasks helpful; others need more time. Either approach is completely normal.