First steps after someone dies

Updated September 2026 | England and Wales

When someone close to you dies, even ordinary tasks can feel difficult. Being told that you are an executor, or that you may need probate, can leave you wondering where to start.

You do not need to understand the whole process today. Begin with the immediate arrangements, establish whether there is a Will, and get help with the responsibilities ahead.

If you would like professional support, contact Fern Wills & LPAs for an introduction. Whether or not we prepared the Will, we can introduce you to an appropriate probate or estate administration specialist.

What needs doing first?

These practical steps apply whether a Will has been found or not. Family members can often help with the immediate arrangements.

Register the death. The medical examiner’s office will explain when you can register it. You normally need to do so within five days of receiving that confirmation, including weekends and bank holidays. If a coroner is involved, follow the instructions you are given. The GOV.UK registration guidance explains where to start.

Ask about death certificates and Tell Us Once. The register office can explain how to obtain official copies of the death certificate and access Tell Us Once, which informs participating government organisations. Banks, insurers, utility companies and other private organisations still need to be told separately.

Make the funeral arrangements. Check for funeral wishes or an existing funeral plan and speak to a funeral director. If paying for the funeral is a concern, ask the deceased’s bank whether it can pay the funeral invoice directly from their account.

Protect the home and important documents. Secure keys, paperwork and valuables. Make arrangements for anyone who depended on the person who died, including pets. If a property will be empty, contact the insurer promptly about its requirements.

Keep a simple record. A folder or notebook for letters, receipts, calls and reference numbers is enough to get started.

Do not use the deceased’s sole-account bank card or online banking, even if you know the details. Avoid giving away money or possessions until the person dealing with the estate has established what can safely be distributed.

Have you found the Will?

The Will helps establish who has been appointed to deal with the estate and who should inherit. The estate means the property, money and possessions left by the person who died.

A Will has been found

Look for the signed original and any later Will or formal amendments, called codicils. Keep everything safe. Do not write on the Will or remove its staples or bindings. If its history or condition may matter, make a brief separate note of where it was found, who found it and who now holds it.

The people appointed to deal with the estate are called executors. Those who inherit are called beneficiaries. Someone can be both, but holding the Will or being the main beneficiary does not automatically put someone in charge.

If several executors are named, they should discuss how the work will be handled. If an executor has died, cannot act, cannot be contacted or disagrees with the others, a specialist can establish the appropriate route. If you are unsure whether you want to act, get advice before taking on the administration or signing away your role.

If Fern prepared the Will, let us know that the person has died.

A Will may exist, but has not been found

Check personal papers, document folders and correspondence from solicitors, Will writers or storage providers. Ask close family whether they know where it was kept.

A copy may identify the person who prepared it or provide clues about the original’s location. Keep it.

Not finding a Will immediately does not mean there is no Will. If the original remains missing, a specialist can advise on further searches and what the available evidence means.

There appears to be no Will

The intestacy rules determine who inherits, and legal priority rules determine who can deal with the estate. The person dealing with it is usually called an administrator.

Being the most willing family member does not automatically give someone authority to act. Unmarried partners and stepchildren who have not been legally adopted by the deceased do not automatically inherit under the intestacy rules.

Get help establishing the correct position before making promises about anyone’s inheritance.

What does an executor actually do?

An executor is responsible for dealing with the estate in accordance with the Will and the law.

That generally involves identifying and protecting assets, establishing their value, dealing with debts and tax, keeping estate accounts, and passing the remaining estate to the beneficiaries. Applying for probate may be one part of that work.

You do not have to know how to do all of this already. Professional support can cover particular tasks or a much wider part of the administration. Executors who appoint a specialist still retain responsibilities, so the division of work should be clear.

What if the Will includes a trust?

A trust means that trustees hold and manage money or property for the people or purposes set out in the Will. For example, someone may have a right to live in a home, or an inheritance may be held for a child.

Executors and trustees must bring the trust into operation during the estate administration. The assets concerned may need to stay in trust, and trustees may have continuing responsibilities after the rest of the estate has been dealt with. Ask a specialist to explain the terms and any property, tax or registration work before treating those assets as an immediate inheritance to hand over.

Does being an executor mean probate is needed?

No. Having a Will, or being named as executor, does not automatically mean a probate application is required.

A grant of probate is the official document confirming an executor’s authority to administer the estate. Where there is no Will, the corresponding grant is usually called letters of administration.

Whether a grant is needed depends on the assets, how they were owned and the requirements of the organisations involved.

For example, a home owned solely by the person who died will normally require a grant before it can be sold or transferred. Jointly owned assets may be treated differently, and banks have their own requirements for releasing money. If there is a house to sell, our guide to selling a house after probate covers that particular question.

An estate can need probate even when no Inheritance Tax is payable. Being both an executor and a beneficiary does not remove that requirement.

A specialist can establish whether a grant is needed and explain the next steps. Obtaining the grant and completing the estate administration are different stages.

What help can you get?

You may want help because the estate has complicated features. You may also simply feel overwhelmed, lack confidence with paperwork, or have limited time.

There are two broad options to discuss with the specialist.

Help with particular tasks. You remain involved and instruct a professional to handle agreed parts of the work, such as the probate application.

Help with the whole estate. You ask for broader support with assets, debts, tax, estate accounts and distribution, with the scope agreed at the outset.

Our Probate and Executor Support guide explains these options further. You can also contact Fern directly without reading another article first.

Missing Wills, trusts, overseas assets, significant lifetime gifts or concerns about debts are reasons to seek advice early. You do not need to investigate everything yourself before asking for help.

What if there is a disagreement?

If you are considering challenging a Will or your inheritance, see Can You Contest a Will? If you are responding to a brother’s or sister’s challenge, see what happens when a sibling contests a parent’s Will.

For concerns about executor delays, missing assets or unexplained accounts, contact Fern for an appropriate specialist introduction. A formal claim or deadline needs prompt specialist advice.

If a beneficiary simply wants to redirect some of their inheritance by agreement, that is a different question. Our Deeds of Variation guide explains the option. Take advice before giving the inheritance away.

Can the costs be paid from the estate?

Probate and estate administration costs are usually paid from the estate, provided sufficient funds are available.

Some fees or expenses may be payable upfront. Other charges may be payable from estate funds when those funds become available. The specialist will explain their fees, payment terms and what is included before you decide whether to instruct them.

If the estate mainly consists of a property, or you have little money available personally, mention this at the start. Do not assume that payment can always wait until a property is sold.

Ask Fern for an introduction

If you would like support, contact Fern Wills & LPAsand ask for a probate or executor-support introduction.

Tell us briefly:

·        Your name and how to contact you.

·        Whether a Will has been found and whether you are an executor.

·        Whether there is a property.

·        What you would like help with, including anything urgent.

You do not need every answer before getting in touch.

Fern arranges the introduction. The specialist advises on the estate, explains the available service and agrees their terms directly with you. You remain free to choose your own adviser.

Where an introduction involves a referral payment to Fern, the specialist pays it. This does not increase the fees you pay. They will explain the arrangement before you decide to proceed.

Once things are underway, remember your own Will

An inheritance received or expected can change what you own and what you want to happen to it. A bereavement may also prompt you to reconsider your beneficiaries or the people you have chosen as executors.

Once probate or estate administration is underway, you can ask Fern to contact you by telephone or email in about three months to review your own Will. You can request this when arranging the introduction.

That gives you a planned opportunity to consider your own arrangements after the immediate priorities. It does not assume that the estate will be finished within three months.

A review does not necessarily mean you need a new Will. It helps establish whether your existing arrangements still reflect your circumstances and wishes.

Ask Fern about a Will review and a three-month follow-up, or read about our Will & LPA MOT.

This article provides general information for England and Wales. Advice about the particular estate should come from the professional instructed to assist with it.