First steps to take

Registration of Death

The death must be registered at the local Registry of Births, Marriages and Deaths within five days (unless it has been reported to a coroner for a post-mortem by the family or hospital doctor).

Funeral Arrangements
Most people will wish to concentrate on the funeral and leave all the deceased's financial affairs to be sorted out afterwards. However, the person instructing the funeral director can arrange for the invoice to be sent to Warners if we are to administer the deceased's estate. The funeral costs could then be paid from the proceeds of the estate.

Is there a Will?
You will need to establish if a Will exists, its whereabouts and whether it is the last Will made by the deceased. If a Will was prepared by a solicitor, the original would normally be kept at his or her office, or maybe in the bank, but the deceased should have possessed a copy. (Remember the Will may also contain funeral instructions). If there is no Will, the deceased is described as having died intestate. The initial procedure for winding up an estate will be determined by whether or not there is a Will.