The death of a family member, friend or anyone close to you can be a difficult time. In addition to the emotional upset you'll be facing, you may also need to take care of practical matters such as closing bank accounts, sorting out issues with the will and organising the funeral. Knowing what you need to do and where to get reliable information can help you cope.

After a death, there is no set order of things you need to do. However, everyone will need to go through the same processes.

You’ll need to register the death, arrange the funeral and cover the costs. If you think you might need the help of a solicitor to handle the will or other aspects of the deceased's estate, you should find one as soon as possible. They’ll often be able to advise you and take some of the burden off you.

You’ll also need to notify other people and organisations. If you’re unsure of who needs to be notified, check the person's bank statements for details of Direct Debits, standing orders and dividends. This may not be a definitive list, though, and there could be other people you need to tell. See the next section for suggestions.

• Employer(s) and work colleagues.
  
  
• Doctor(s) and/or hospital.
  
  
• Credit card and store card providers.
  
  
• Banks and building societies.
  
  
• Post Office – to divert mail.
  
  
• All utility services including mobile phone suppliers.
  
  
• Car or finance company (if the person was leasing or buying a car).
  
  
• Mortgage, pensions, investments and insurance providers - including building and contents insurance.
  
  
• Council tax department.
  
  
• Social security office (if the person who has died was receiving any pensions or state benefits).
  
  
• Housing department (if the person who has died was living in a council house).
  
  
• HM Revenue & Customs, see leaflet IR45 (call 0845 9000 404 to ask for a copy).
  
  
• Share registrars.
  
  

If the deceased had any bank accounts or products with a financial institution, you’ll need to notify them and send certain documents before they’ll release the person's money to you. These documents can vary depending on the circumstances of the person who has died, the value of the accounts held and any other products the person may have held.

In addition to the will and the codicil, your bank may require you to send:

• An original death certificate/coroner’s certificate, or a copy that has been certified by a solicitor or anyone else who is legally eligible to certify such documents (staff in many bank branches can often do this).
  
  
• The Grant of Probate: The bank may require this before they’ll release any money if the total value of the accounts of the person who has died exceeds £25,000 (this amount may vary from bank to bank).
  
  
• Notification of death form: In all cases, the executors, administrators or next of kin will need to complete this before a bank will release any money.
  
  

If there is no will, you should check with the bank to see what you need to do.

The will is likely to show who will be responsible for administering the estate. This person, people or bank, is known as the executor or personal representative. Without a will, the estate of the person who has died may not be automatically transferred to the people closest to them, due to the Rules of Intestacy in the UK.

The executor or personal representative follows the instructions in the will and may be held personally liable, in certain situations, if the will is not distributed according to the wishes of the person who has died.

First, the executor or personal representative needs to make an inventory of the estate. This includes things like money in bank accounts, plus any savings, investments, insurance policies, property and other possessions. They will also need to:

• value the estate,
  
  
• apply for the Grant of Representation/Probate,
  
  
• collect the assets,
  
  
• settle income tax, inheritance tax, and any other taxes due,
  
  
• settle/transfer property,
  
  
• deal with assets abroad,
  
  
• distribute assets according to the law,
  
  
• prepare the final account for the Capital Taxes Office, and
  
  
• provide a detailed statement at the end of the estate.