There are various people, companies and other interested parties who need to be informed of the death, and others who ought to be informed of the death, and others who ought to be informed. If the deceased lived alone then someone ought to be informed as soon as possible.

• Local social services if meals on wheels, home help or day centre transport was used
• Any hospital the person was attending
• The Family doctor
• The local Inland Revenue Office
• Bank
• The local Social Security Office to cancel pensions, allowances, benefits etc.
• Any employer or trade union
• A child’s or young persons teacher, employer or college, should be informed if a brother, sister, grandparent or close friend has died
• Car insurance company – people driving a car insured in the deceased’s name are not legally insured.
• Local offices of Electricity, Telephone, Royal Mail deliveries, local newsagents

If the deceased was receiving Housing Benefit/Council Tax Benefit, the local housing department; also if the deceased was living in property rented from the Council or any landlord if the deceased lived in rented accommodation.

Things may need returning

Items such as order books and girocheques will have to be returned to the appropriate Social Security Agency or Social Security Office.

Make a note of any pension book or order book numbers before you send them back.

The deceased’s passport, driving license, car registration documents, membership cards and National Insurance papers must all be returned to the relevant offices. Check for any library books that might need returning, also if there was any NHS equipment being used it will need to be returned to either the hospital or health centre from where it came.

It can be difficult enough dealing with bereavement without having to deal with the deceased’s property, possessions and personal matters.

For this reason it is advisable to contact a solicitor to help with such matters. The suggested solicitors contained within this publication are there to help you overcome this difficult time.

Future financial help may be required, it is quite possible that you may qualify for help from the state. There is a free telephone enquiry line for Social Security – 0800 616 757. They should be able to help with any general benefit enquiry and will give you advice on how you go about claiming. Claim forms can be obtained from both Benefit Offices and the Post Office.

Solicitors 

You should ascertain if the deceased made a Will and consult the solicitors who hold it, to see what were the deceased’s wishes as to the funeral. The Will will also disclose the names of the executors or the persons legally entitled to deal with the deceased’s estate. Your solicitor’s will assist you with the administration of the estate and any questions relating to the taxation that may arise.