What happens when someone dies?

Your personal legal toolkit for understanding the practical and legal steps that may follow.

Losing someone close to you is never easy. Alongside grief, there are a number of practical and legal matters that need attention, often at a time when it can be difficult to know where to begin.

This hub brings together guidance on the key steps that may follow a death.

The process often starts with immediate practical tasks, such as

Registering the death
Locating important documents
Arranging the funeral

Once these initial steps have been taken, attention usually turns to administering the person's estate, which involves dealing with their assets, liabilities and legal affairs.

The guides below take you through this journey, helping you understand what may need to happen and when.

Initial steps after a death

This guide explains the key steps to take after a death, from registering the death and arranging the funeral to securing any property and locating important documents.

As well as the immediate actions required, it introduces the process of dealing with the person's estate and the responsibilities that may follow.

Whether you're a family member, friend or someone responsible for handling the estate, this guide provides a clear starting point and signposts you to further information where needed.

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Administering an estate

Taking responsibility for an estate can feel daunting, particularly when there are legal, tax and financial matters to deal with alongside a bereavement.

From locating a will and obtaining probate to paying inheritance tax and distributing assets, there are a number of important steps to follow.

This article explains the estate administration process in clear, practical terms and answers common questions that arise along the way.

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Further considerations

Alongside the main steps involved after a death, there are some specific issues that can affect inheritance, tax and the options available to beneficiaries.

The guides below address some of the questions that can arise in these situations.

What happens if they didn't leave a will?

Find out what happens if someone dies without a valid will, including who inherits and how the law decides how their estate is divided.

What about gifts they made during their lifetime?

Explore how gifts made during someone’s lifetime can affect inheritance tax and what needs to be reported when administering an estate.

What if I don't want some or all of my inheritance?

Learn the difference between a deed of variation and a disclaimer, and when each may be appropriate.

Understanding your situation

The guides in this hub are designed to help you understand the key stages involved after a death, from the initial practical steps through to administering an estate and dealing with more specific issues that may arise.

Every situation is unique, and some estates involve more complex considerations relating to tax, property, family circumstances or succession planning.

If you'd like advice tailored to your particular circumstances, our private client team is here to help.

Contact our team

Expert guidance, whenever you need it

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Private client blog

From wills and future planning to the practical considerations that arise at different stages of life, our blog provides expert guidance on the questions people face.

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