What to Do When Someone Dies UK: Executor Checklist (2026)

When someone dies in England or Wales, the executor named in their will takes on a legal responsibility to administer the estate. This plain-English checklist covers every step from the first 48 hours to the final distribution — including registering the death, finding the will, applying for probate, paying debts and taxes, and handing assets to beneficiaries.

First: find the will

The will is the document that names the executor and sets out who inherits. Without it, the estate passes under the intestacy rules — which may be very different from the deceased's actual wishes, and which give nothing to unmarried partners regardless of the length of the relationship.

Common places to find a will: home safe or fireproof box, with the deceased's solicitor, with the executor they named, or registered with the National Will Register (search at nationalwillregister.co.uk). Check the deceased's filing cabinet, email (for a digital copy of any solicitor correspondence), and any notes left in a Letter of Wishes.

If no will is found, see our guide on intestacy rules UK 2026 — the rules determine who can administer the estate and who inherits.

Step-by-step checklist

Print or bookmark this checklist. Each phase has approximate timescales — simple estates typically take 6–12 months from death to final distribution.

Within 24–48 hours

Obtain the medical certificate of cause of death (from the GP or hospital).
Notify close family and any immediate carers or employers.
Secure the deceased's property — lock the home, notify home insurer.
If a coroner is involved, wait for their authority before registering.

Within 5 days — register the death

Register the death at the local register office in the district where the death occurred.
Bring: medical certificate, deceased's NHS card/birth certificate/marriage certificate if available.
Order at least 10 certified copies of the death certificate (cheaper to order in bulk now).
Use the Tell Us Once service to notify government departments in a single step.

First two weeks — locate the will and notify

Search for the original signed will: home safe, solicitor, National Will Register, bank.
Confirm you are still the named executor and are willing to act.
Notify the deceased's bank(s), pension providers, and life insurers of the death.
Cancel direct debits and subscriptions to stop charges building up.
Arrange the funeral — the estate pays, so keep all receipts for reimbursement.

Weeks 2–6 — value the estate

List all assets: property, savings, investments, personal possessions, pension (if included), life insurance.
List all liabilities: mortgage, credit cards, loans, outstanding bills.
Obtain a property valuation (RICS surveyor or estate agent letter for HMRC).
Request balances from banks and financial institutions using the death certificate.
Establish whether inheritance tax (IHT) is due — estates over £325,000 per person (or £500,000 with residence nil-rate band) may attract 40% IHT.

Weeks 4–12 — apply for probate

Complete IHT forms: IHT205 (simple estates below IHT threshold) or IHT400 (estates above threshold).
Apply for Grant of Probate online at gov.uk or by post using form PA1P (with a will) or PA1A (no will).
Pay the probate fee: £300 for estates over £5,000 (no fee below £5,000).
Probate registry currently processes grants in approximately 4–8 weeks.

After probate is granted — administer the estate

Open an executor's bank account to receive estate funds.
Collect all assets: bank balances, investment proceeds, insurance payouts.
Pay all debts and liabilities in the correct priority order.
Pay any inheritance tax due (IHT must be paid before probate in most cases — use estate funds or a bank loan).
Distribute legacies and specific gifts named in the will.
Transfer or sell property as directed by the will.
Distribute the residuary estate to residuary beneficiaries.
Prepare final estate accounts and obtain beneficiary receipts.

What the will does and does not control

A will controls the distribution of the estate— assets held in the deceased's sole name. It does not automatically override:

Joint bank accounts — these pass to the surviving account holder by right of survivorship, regardless of what the will says. See our guide: what happens to a bank account when you die UK.
Property held as joint tenants — the surviving owner takes the whole property automatically. See: joint tenants vs tenants in common UK.
Pensions with a named beneficiary — pension death benefits are paid at the discretion of the trustees, guided by the expression of wishes form. See: what happens to a pension when you die UK.
Life insurance written in trust — the payout goes directly to the named trustees, bypassing the estate.

A well-drafted will coordinates all of these elements and includes a Letter of Wishes to guide the executor on decisions the will cannot legally direct.

Inheritance tax — do not leave it late

Inheritance tax must be paid before the Grant of Probate is issued — which creates a practical problem, because the estate's assets are frozen until probate is granted. The solution most executors use is a bank loan or the HMRC direct payment scheme (using the deceased's own bank accounts to pay HMRC directly before probate).

The IHT nil-rate band is £325,000 per person. The residence nil-rate band adds up to £175,000 where a main residence is left to direct descendants. Couples who were married or in a civil partnership can combine their allowances, potentially sheltering up to £1 million from IHT. For full details, see our inheritance tax UK basics guide.

Executor liability

Executors are personally liable for distributing the estate incorrectly. The most common risks:

Distributing to beneficiaries before paying all debts (the executor owes the shortfall personally).
Missing a creditor — advertise for claims in The Gazette for two months before final distribution.
Failing to pay IHT on time (interest runs at 2.5–7.5% depending on assets).
Paying a legacy to the wrong person — always verify identities.

If the estate is complex, employing a solicitor to handle the probate reduces personal liability risk. For straightforward estates, the executor can act without professional help. Our Executor Guide (£25) is a plain-English 12-month operational walk-through for executors in England and Wales.

Frequently asked questions

How soon do you need to register a death in England and Wales?

You must register the death within 5 days in England and Wales (8 days in Scotland, unless a doctor has reported it to the coroner). Registration is done in person at the local register office. You will receive the death certificate, which you need multiple copies of — order at least 10 certified copies at registration, as they are cheaper then than ordering extra copies later.

What happens if you cannot find a will?

If no will can be found, the estate is administered under the intestacy rules (Administration of Estates Act 1925). The closest relative applies to the probate registry for Letters of Administration rather than a Grant of Probate. To help find a will, check with the deceased's solicitor, the National Will Register, their bank, and their home (fireproof box, filing cabinet, with the executor they named). If a will is found after administration has started, the process may need to restart.

When is probate required?

Probate (technically a Grant of Probate if there is a will, or Letters of Administration if there is not) is required when the estate includes property registered in the deceased's sole name, or when the estate's financial institutions require it — most banks require a grant for accounts over their small estate threshold (£15,000–£50,000 depending on the bank). For small estates with only cash and personal belongings, probate may not be needed.

How long does the executor have to distribute the estate?

There is no strict legal deadline, but the 'executor's year' is the conventional timeframe — one year from the date of death to complete the administration and distribute the estate. Creditors and beneficiaries can apply to the court if the executor is unreasonably slow. Simple estates take 6–12 months; complex estates (property sales, IHT, disputes) can take 1–3 years.

Does the executor have to pay the deceased's debts?

Yes — the executor must pay all valid debts from the estate before distributing anything to beneficiaries. The order of priority is: funeral costs first, then secured debts (mortgage), then unsecured debts (credit cards, personal loans), then legacies, then the residuary estate. If the executor distributes to beneficiaries before paying debts, they can be held personally liable for the shortfall.

What is the Tell Us Once service?

Tell Us Once is a free government service that allows you to notify multiple government departments of a death in a single step: HMRC, DWP (state pension, benefits), DVLA, HM Passport Office, and local council services. The registrar will give you a unique reference number to use the service at the time of registration or shortly after.

Can an executor also be a beneficiary?

Yes — this is the most common arrangement. Being a beneficiary does not disqualify you from acting as executor. The one important rule is the section 15 Wills Act 1837 witness rule: a beneficiary (or the spouse/civil partner of a beneficiary) must not have witnessed the will, or their gift becomes void, though the will itself remains valid.