As well as informing people who were close to the deceased, such as relatives and friends, and the deceased's employer, solicitor/accountant and school/college (if relevant) 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 of who you may need to inform.
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)
- lLcal council if they paid rates, had a parking permit, were issued with a Blue Badge for disabled parking, or received social services help, attended day care or similar
- UK Identity and Passport Service, to return and cancel a passport
- DVLA, to return any driving licence, cancel car tax or return car registration documents/change ownership
Financial organisations
- General insurance companies - for example, contents, car, travel or medical
- Any other company with which the deceased may have had rental, hire purchase or loan agreements
- If the deceased was the first name on an insurance policy, make contact as early as possible to check that you are still insured
- Pension providers/life insurance companies
- Banks and building societies
- Mortgage provider
- Hire purchase or loan companies
- Credit card providers/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, if mail needs re-directing
- TV/internet companies with which the deceased had subscriptions
A step-by-step guide to what do to after someone dies available from www.gov.uk.