When someone dies, certain people and organisations need to be told and documents completed. Some of these things can be done by a close relative or friend; others need to be done by the executor or administrator of the estate. Below you will find a summary of some of the initial steps you should take after someone dies as well as some of the support available. If you would like more information, click on the links on the left-hand side of the page.

You cannot be expected to do everything right away, but in the first five days it's important to:

• Notify the family doctor
• Register the death at the Registry Office
• Contact a funeral director to begin funeral arrangements (you'll need to check the Will for any special requests
• If relevant, complete form BD8 and send to the local Jobcentre Plus or Social Security Office (given to you when you register the death; read the reverse to see if it applies)
• If the person who has died was receiving any benefits or tax credits advise the offices that were making the payments

• Contact the executor if this isn't you (usually nominated in the Will to sort out the deceased's affairs) - to enable them to start the process of obtaining probate
• If there is no Will, decide who will apply to sort out the deceased's affairs and contact the Probate Registry to apply for 'letters of administration'

As well as informing people who are close to the deceased, in many cases you'll need to close down accounts, or cancel or change insurance details, subscriptions, agreements, payments or direct debits. The personal representative looking after the deceased's affairs will also need to check the value of any insurance or pension funds, savings accounts and similar and arrange payment of insurance/pension benefits and any outstanding tax or debts before distributing the remaining estate to beneficiaries.

• Relatives and friends
• Employer
• School
• Solicitor/accountant
• The deceased's tax office
• National Insurance Contributions Office if they were self-employed (to cancel payments)
• Child Benefit Office (at latest within eight weeks)
• Landlord or Local Authority if the deceased rented
• Local authority if the deceased paid Council Tax, had a parking permit, and/or received social services help, attended day care or similar
• Any private organisation/agency providing home help
• General insurance companies - contents, car, travel, medical etc. (if the deceased was the first named on an insurance policy, make contact as early as possible to check that you are still insured)
• Pension providers/life insurance companies
• Bank/building society
• Mortgage provider
• Hire purchase or loan companies
• Credit card providers/store cards
• Utility companies if accounts were in the deceased's name
• TV/internet service providers with which the deceased had subscriptions
• Any other company with which the deceased may have had rental, hire purchase or loan agreements
• Royal Mail, if mail needs re-directing
• Bereavement Register and Deceased Preference Service to remove the deceased's name from mailing lists and databases
• UK Passport Agency, to return and cancel a passport
• DVLA, to return any driving licence, cancel car tax or return
• Car registration documents/change ownership
• Clubs, trade unions, associations with seasonal membership for cancellation and refunds
• Church/regular place of worship
• Social groups to which the deceased belonged
• Dentist
• Creditors - anyone to whom the deceased owed money
• Debtors - anyone that owed the deceased money

Depending on your income and circumstances, you may be able to claim certain benefits if you lived with or were dependent on the deceased. Follow the links to see whether you're eligible. Time limits apply, so check the details as early as is possible.

• Make a claim for Bereavement Allowance, Widowed Parent's Allowance and/or the one-off Bereavement Payment if you are widowed or become a surviving civil partner (time limits apply)
• Claim a Funeral Payment to help with funeral costs if you're on a low income

Check whether there are other benefits you can claim, or whether your current benefits need to change. If you were living with or dependent on the deceased, any current benefits you are receiving may change, or you may be able to claim additional benefits if. To check your entitlements, contact your nearest Jobcentre Plus office.

Surviving relatives and friends of the deceased may need to make a new Will. You can prepare these using our Will writing service.

Everyone deals with bereavement in their own way. If you or someone you know needs counselling or support, ask your family doctor or contact a relevant organisation. Your local authority may provide support and advice about the arrangements that need to be made after a bereavement, such as registering the death and obtaining a death certificate.