ASVSH ACCOUNTANCY SERVICES LTD are licensed by the ACCA The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants to carry out Probate services, I.E. dealing with some one’s estate when they die.
We can complete the Probate Process for your loved one leaving you o take care of everything else that comes with such an ordeal.
What to do when someone dies checklist
When someone dies it can be very difficult to know what you are supposed to do. To help you, nidirect offers a simple checklist to guide you through the process.
Jump to table of contents
Information you’ll need to hand
Before you start, it is very useful to have the following information to hand about the person who has died. This will make the task of completing any forms or documents much easier.
National Insurance number
NHS number
date and place of birth
date of marriage or civil partnership (if suitable)
Child Benefit number
tax reference number
organ donor card (if registered)
Organ donation
After a death you will have to act quickly if it was the wish of the deceased or the nearest relative to donate organs for transplant.
The next-of-kin will usually be approached to make sure they do not object to organ donation.
If the death has to be reported to the coroner, the coroner’s consent may be necessary before the organs or body can be donated. A medical certificate must be issued before any organs can be removed or the body donated for medical teaching.
The doctor attending will advise on procedure. After organ donation, the body is released to the relatives.
Organ donation
First five days
tell the family doctor
register the death at the relevant Registrar’s Office, except where the death has been referred to the Coroner
find the will – the deceased person’s solicitor may have a copy if you can’t find one
begin funeral arrangements – you will need to check the will for any special requests
report the death to the Bereavement Service for Northern Ireland – the service will record the date of death, informing any benefit office that paid benefit to the deceased and will check eligibility for any financial support that may be available to the bereaved
if the person who has died was a Blue badge holder, the badge must be returned to the Blue Badge Unit
if the deceased was the first named on an insurance policy, make contact as early as possible to check that you are still insured
Surviving relatives and friends of the deceased may need to make a new will. You don’t need to do this urgently, but it’s important to ask a solicitor about this as soon as you can.
If there is a will
Contact the executor if this isn’t you. This person is usually nominated in the will to sort out the deceased’s affairs. They can then start the process of applying for probate.
If there is no will
decide who will apply to sort out the deceased’s affairs
contact the Probate Registry to apply for ‘letters of administration’
Find out more about what to do if there is no will.
Who to tell
As well as informing people who are close to the person, in many cases you’ll need to close down accounts, or cancel or change insurance details, subscriptions, agreements, payments or direct debits.
Here’s a list to help you keep track. You can print it off and cross through the ones that don’t apply:
relatives and friends
employer
school
solicitor
accountant
Government organisations
the relevant Tax Office
National Insurance Contributions Office if they were self-employed (to cancel payments)
Child Benefit Office (at latest within eight weeks)
Land & Property Services (LPS) if they were a ratepayer or getting Housing Benefit, Rate Relief or Rate Rebate
UK Identity and Passport Service(external link opens in a new window / tab) or Irish Passport office to return and cancel a passport
Driver Vehicle Agency (DVA) to return any driving licence, cancel car tax or return car registration documents/change ownership
Local councils in Northern Ireland
Financial organisations
general insurance companies for home, car, travel or medical
pension providers
life insurance companies
banks and building societies
mortgage provider
hire purchase or loan companies
credit card providers and any store cards
Utilities and household contacts
landlord or local authority if they rented a property
any private organisation/agency providing home help
utility companies if accounts were in the deceased’s name
Royal Mail(external link opens in a new window / tab) if mail needs re-directing
TV/internet companies with which the deceased had subscriptions
Other people or organisations to tell
Bereavement Register(external link opens in a new window / tab) and Deceased Preference Service(external link opens in a new window / tab) to remove the deceased’s name from mailing lists and databases
clubs, trade unions, associations with seasonal membership for cancellation and refunds
church or regular place of worship
social groups the deceased belonged
dentist
anyone the deceased owed money to
anyone who owed the deceased money
Benefits and financial help
You may be able to claim certain benefits and one-off payments if you lived with or were dependent on the deceased. Time limits apply, so contact your nearest Jobs and Benefits office as soon as possible to find out.
Bereavement Support Payment
Funeral Expenses Payment
If you pay rates you may also be eligible for rate relief and exclusions like Lone Pensioner Allowance or Housing Benefit/Rate Relief.
Advice, support and comfort for the bereaved
After the death of a loved one, general advice and support is available from doctors, solicitors and social services. There are many organisations that can also offer help according to your particular circumstances.
You can get practical help from a number of people and organisations, for example:
funeral director
family doctor
solicitor
welfare officers and personnel departments at your workplace
priest or minister of religion
local social services
A health visitor or district nurse who attended the deceased may also be able to help. If death was in a hospital, ask the sister or hospital chaplain.
You may feel that you want to talk with someone sympathetic who is outside your immediate family or with people who have been through a similar experience. Below is a list of the organisations that provide help and support to the bereaved.
age NI
Cruse Bereavement Care
The Lullaby Trust
The Miscarriage Association
Samaritans
Support After Murder and Manslaughter (SAMM)
The Terrence Higgins Trust (AIDS or HIV)(external link opens in a new window / tab)
Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide(external link opens in a new window / tab)
Child Bereavement UK(external link opens in a new window / tab)
On this page
Information you’ll need to hand
Organ donation
First five days
If there is a will
If there is no will
Who to tell
Benefits and financial help
Advice, support and comfort for the bereaved
Death and bereavement
Applying for probate
Arranging a funeral
Benefits, property and money
Coroners, post-mortems and inquests
Documents and information needed when someone dies
Making a will
Order a death certificate online
Show 6 more
Share this page
Facebook
Twitter
What to do when someone dies checklist
When someone dies it can be very difficult to know what you are supposed to do. To help you, nidirect offers a simple checklist to guide you through the process.
Jump to table of contents
Information you’ll need to hand
Before you start, it is very useful to have the following information to hand about the person who has died. This will make the task of completing any forms or documents much easier.
National Insurance number
NHS number
date and place of birth
date of marriage or civil partnership (if suitable)
Child Benefit number
tax reference number
organ donor card (if registered)
Organ donation
After a death you will have to act quickly if it was the wish of the deceased or the nearest relative to donate organs for transplant.
The next-of-kin will usually be approached to make sure they do not object to organ donation.
If the death has to be reported to the coroner, the coroner’s consent may be necessary before the organs or body can be donated. A medical certificate must be issued before any organs can be removed or the body donated for medical teaching.
The doctor attending will advise on procedure. After organ donation, the body is released to the relatives.
Organ donation
First five days
tell the family doctor
register the death at the relevant Registrar’s Office, except where the death has been referred to the Coroner
find the will – the deceased person’s solicitor may have a copy if you can’t find one
begin funeral arrangements – you will need to check the will for any special requests
report the death to the Bereavement Service for Northern Ireland – the service will record the date of death, informing any benefit office that paid benefit to the deceased and will check eligibility for any financial support that may be available to the bereaved
if the person who has died was a Blue badge holder, the badge must be returned to the Blue Badge Unit
if the deceased was the first named on an insurance policy, make contact as early as possible to check that you are still insured
Surviving relatives and friends of the deceased may need to make a new will. You don’t need to do this urgently, but it’s important to ask a solicitor about this as soon as you can.
If there is a will
Contact the executor if this isn’t you. This person is usually nominated in the will to sort out the deceased’s affairs. They can then start the process of applying for probate.
If there is no will
decide who will apply to sort out the deceased’s affairs
contact the Probate Registry to apply for ‘letters of administration’
Find out more about what to do if there is no will.
Who to tell
As well as informing people who are close to the person, in many cases you’ll need to close down accounts, or cancel or change insurance details, subscriptions, agreements, payments or direct debits.
Here’s a list to help you keep track. You can print it off and cross through the ones that don’t apply:
relatives and friends
employer
school
solicitor
accountant
Government organisations
the relevant Tax Office
National Insurance Contributions Office if they were self-employed (to cancel payments)
Child Benefit Office (at latest within eight weeks)
Land & Property Services (LPS) if they were a ratepayer or getting Housing Benefit, Rate Relief or Rate Rebate
UK Identity and Passport Service(external link opens in a new window / tab) or Irish Passport office to return and cancel a passport
Driver Vehicle Agency (DVA) to return any driving licence, cancel car tax or return car registration documents/change ownership
Local councils in Northern Ireland
Financial organisations
general insurance companies for home, car, travel or medical
pension providers
life insurance companies
banks and building societies
mortgage provider
hire purchase or loan companies
credit card providers and any store cards
Utilities and household contacts
landlord or local authority if they rented a property
any private organisation/agency providing home help
utility companies if accounts were in the deceased’s name
Royal Mail(external link opens in a new window / tab) if mail needs re-directing
TV/internet companies with which the deceased had subscriptions
Other people or organisations to tell
Bereavement Register(external link opens in a new window / tab) and Deceased Preference Service(external link opens in a new window / tab) to remove the deceased’s name from mailing lists and databases
clubs, trade unions, associations with seasonal membership for cancellation and refunds
church or regular place of worship
social groups the deceased belonged
dentist
anyone the deceased owed money to
anyone who owed the deceased money
Benefits and financial help
You may be able to claim certain benefits and one-off payments if you lived with or were dependent on the deceased. Time limits apply, so contact your nearest Jobs and Benefits office as soon as possible to find out.
Bereavement Support Payment
Funeral Expenses Payment
If you pay rates you may also be eligible for rate relief and exclusions like Lone Pensioner Allowance or Housing Benefit/Rate Relief.
Advice, support and comfort for the bereaved
After the death of a loved one, general advice and support is available from doctors, solicitors and social services. There are many organisations that can also offer help according to your particular circumstances.
You can get practical help from a number of people and organisations, for example:
funeral director
family doctor
solicitor
welfare officers and personnel departments at your workplace
priest or minister of religion
local social services
A health visitor or district nurse who attended the deceased may also be able to help. If death was in a hospital, ask the sister or hospital chaplain.
You may feel that you want to talk with someone sympathetic who is outside your immediate family or with people who have been through a similar experience. Below is a list of the organisations that provide help and support to the bereaved.
age NI
Cruse Bereavement Care
The Lullaby Trust
The Miscarriage Association
Samaritans
Support After Murder and Manslaughter (SAMM)
The Terrence Higgins Trust (AIDS or HIV)(external link opens in a new window / tab)
Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide(external link opens in a new window / tab)
Child Bereavement UK(external link opens in a new window / tab)
On this page
Information you’ll need to hand
Organ donation
First five days
If there is a will
If there is no will
Who to tell
Benefits and financial help
Advice, support and comfort for the bereaved
Death and bereavement
Applying for probate
Arranging a funeral
Benefits, property and money
Coroners, post-mortems and inquests
Documents and information needed when someone dies
Making a will
Order a death certificate online
Show 6 more
Share this page
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Twitter