What To Do In The First 48 Hours After A Death In The UK | First48hrs

If you've just lost someone, this page is for you.

You don't need to read everything at once. You don't need to get it all right immediately. What you do need is a clear sense of what matters now, what can wait, and who can help.

This guide covers the practical steps that UK families face in the first 48 hours after a death — written plainly, without jargon, in the order that things typically need to happen.

Want a personalised step-by-step plan built around your specific situation? Use our free triage tool guide at first48hrs.co.uk — it takes less than two minutes.

Step 1 — Get Medical Confirmation of Death

Before anything else can happen, the death needs to be confirmed medically. What this looks like depends on where the person died.

If the person died at home

Call 999 if the death was unexpected or sudden — paramedics will attend and a doctor or coroner will be involved.

If the death was expected — for example, following a terminal illness — call the person's GP surgery. Out of hours, call NHS 111. They will arrange for a doctor to attend and certify the death.

If the person died in hospital

The hospital medical team will certify the death. A nurse or ward coordinator will guide you through the next steps and arrange for you to collect belongings and paperwork when you are ready.

If the person died in a care home

The care home will contact a doctor to certify the death and will notify you directly. They will have a process in place and a named contact to help you.

Step 2 — Contact a Funeral Director

You do not need to choose a funeral director immediately, but you do need to make initial contact within the first 24 hours in most cases — particularly if the person died at home, where the funeral director will arrange collection of the body.

You are not locked into any decisions at this stage. A reputable funeral director will:

•       Arrange respectful collection and care of the person

•       Advise you on what is possible within your budget

•       Help you understand the timeline for registration and the funeral itself

•       Not pressure you into immediate decisions about flowers, coffins, or services

If you don't have a funeral director in mind, use our free triage tool guide at first48hrs.co.uk can connect you with a trusted local provider who understands what families need at this stage.

Step 3 — Register the Death (Within 5 Days)

In England and Wales, a death must be registered within 5 days. In Scotland the limit is 8 days. This is a legal requirement.

Who can register?

The death is usually registered by a close relative. If no relative is available, it can be registered by someone present at the death, the occupier of the premises where the death occurred, or the person responsible for arranging the funeral.

Where do you go?

You need to attend a register office in person. This must be in the district where the death occurred — not necessarily where the person lived. You can find your nearest register office on GOV.UK.

What do you need to bring?

•       The Medical Certificate of Cause of Death — provided by the doctor or hospital

•       The deceased person's NHS medical card (if available)

•       Their birth certificate (if available)

•       Their marriage or civil partnership certificate (if applicable)

You will receive the death certificate at registration. Order multiple certified copies — you will need them for banks, pension providers, insurance companies, and probate.

Step 4 — Notify the Right People Early

There are a handful of notifications that should happen in the first 48 hours — not because they are urgent in a legal sense, but because acting early prevents complications later.

Notify immediately

1.    Close family and friends — those who would want to know straight away

2.    The deceased's employer (if still working)

3.    Any immediate care providers — home carers, day centres, district nurses

Notify within the first few days

4.    DWP — to pause state pension or benefits payments

5.    HMRC — to close the tax record and check for any outstanding returns

6.    Their bank — to freeze the account and prevent unauthorised transactions

7.    The local council — to cancel council tax liability

The government's Tell Us Once service allows you to notify multiple government departments in a single step at the point of registration. Ask the registrar to activate this when you attend.

Our PDF toolkit includes pre-written letter templates for banks, pension providers, insurers, and government departments — available at first48hrs.co.uk

Step 5 — Locate Important Documents

In the first 48 hours, try to locate the following. You do not need all of them immediately, but knowing where they are prevents stress later.

•       The will — if one exists, this is critical to find early

•       Life insurance policies

•       Pension documentation

•       Property deeds or tenancy agreements

•       Bank and savings account details

•       Vehicle documents (V5C logbook)

•       Passport and driving licence

If you cannot find a will, check with the deceased's solicitor, their bank's safe custody service, or the National Will Register. Do not assume there is no will until you have checked.

Step 6 — Understand Whether Probate Is Needed

Probate is the legal process of administering a deceased person's estate. Whether you need it depends on several factors — primarily the value of the estate and how assets are held.

As a general rule, probate is likely to be required if:

•       The estate includes property solely in the deceased's name

•       The estate is worth more than £5,000 in most cases, or over banks' own thresholds

•       There are shares, investments, or complex assets

Probate is usually not required if assets were held jointly (which pass automatically to the surviving owner) or where the estate is of low value.

Not sure whether you need probate? Our free triage tool walks you through this question and can connect you with a specialist probate solicitor if needed — no upfront cost, no obligation.

What Can Wait

The first 48 hours can feel overwhelming. Here is a short list of things that can — and should — wait:

•       Clearing the property — there is no urgent need to sort belongings in the first week

•       Cancelling subscriptions and memberships — do this after probate is underway

•       Selling assets or property — this should only happen after the estate is legally administered

•       Accepting or declining inheritance — you have time to take legal advice

If anyone is pressuring you to make financial decisions in the first 48 hours, slow down. Reputable professionals will not pressure you at this stage.

You Don't Have To Navigate This Alone

First48hrs was built for exactly this moment — the confusing, overwhelming hours after a death when you need clear guidance, not legal jargon or upselling.

Our free triage tool builds you a personalised action plan in minutes, based on your specific circumstances — whether there is a will, whether property is involved, and what needs to happen first.

Start your free triage at first48hrs.co.uk — and take the first step from panic to plan.