When someone dies, practical tasks can feel overwhelming. This guide covers essentials for families in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland so you can take things one step at a time.
Immediate steps
If the death was expected at home under medical care, contact the GP or attending team. If unexpected, call 999. In a care home or hospital, staff will guide you and provide the medical certificate when ready.
Register the death
You usually register within five days in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or eight days in Scotland. Take the medical certificate and ID documents. Request several death certificate copies for banks and insurers.
Tell Us Once
Many councils offer Tell Us Once, which notifies government departments in one process. Ask the registrar when you book.
Choose a funeral director
Compare local firms on our funeral directors directory. Ask about costs, simple funerals, and support for different faiths or none.
Record wishes for the future
If you are planning ahead, start a free funeral wishes plan so your family knows your preferences.
Keep Tomorrow Remembered in the loop
Our directory, funeral wishes and memoriams are designed to sit beside your funeral director — not replace them. Use what helps, and share links with family so everyone sees the same plan.
When a gathering needs a larger venue than a traditional wake room, our partner The Ideal Venue lists hotels and celebration spaces. For ocean-centred memorial ideas, see Reef of Remembrance.
The first 24–48 hours in the UK
Most families remember the first day as a blur of phone calls. A practical order that works for many people is: confirm the death with the GP or hospital, speak to the funeral director when you are ready, then tackle Tell Us Once and the death registration. You do not have to do everything in one afternoon. If someone has already died at home, the GP will usually visit; if death was unexpected, the coroner may become involved and timings change.
Keep a single notebook or shared notes app for: reference numbers, who was told, passwords you discover, and questions for the funeral director. That small habit reduces the “did we already ring them?” loop that exhausts everyone.
Who to call — and who can wait
Immediate: GP/hospital, close family, and (when you choose) a funeral director. Soon after: employer HR for compassionate leave, the person’s bank for a bereavement team, and any faith leader if that matters to the family. Many utilities and subscriptions can wait a week. If you are unsure about accessing accounts, ask the funeral director or a solicitor before guessing passwords on shared devices.
Related guides: Tell Us Once and registering a death, choosing a funeral director, and funeral costs in the UK.