Bereavement

• Bereavement leaflet
   
• Key links to information by subject heading for people dealing with bereavement
   
• Specialist organisations and support available for people dealing with bereavement

Practical Check List

This checklist provides a summary of some important things you may need to do. There are some things that need to be done earlier than others. The check list contents will help you or those supporting you at this time have a record of those things you have done.

Having certain details about the person who has died ready to refer to will help you complete forms and applications. These details are:

• Date of birth/place of birth
• National Insurance number
• NHS number
• Tax reference number
• Child Benefit number (if appropriate)
• Date of marriage or civil partnership (if appropriate)

What you may need to know and do in the first few days

It is important to do the following in the first 5 days:

• tell the family doctor
   
• register the death at the register office
   
• contact the executor. They are usually named in the will and their role is to sort out the affairs of the person who has died so they can start to carry out their responsibilities
   
• consider contacting a funeral director to begin funeral arrangements (check the will for any special requests and in case 'funeral plan' arrangements are already in place)
   
• if the person who has died was receiving any benefits or tax credits, you must advise the office that was paying the benefit, complete form BD8, which the registrar will give you (see if this is relevant for you by reading the reverse of the form), and send it to the local Jobcentre Plus, social security or pensions office. You can find the address in the phone book. www.thephonebook.bt.com
   
• If any property is to be left empty ensure that it is to secure, the insurance company is advised and any requirements are met, eg water turned off/ heating left on etc and valuables are left out of sight. Cancel milk or newspapers. www.direct.gov.uk (what to do)
   
• If the person who has died was not a British Passport holder you must contact their Embassy to return and cancel the passport.  They will also be able to provide advice on repatriation if appropriate.  Contact details can be found at www.fco.gov.uk and look for Home Foreign and Commonwealth Office and then Foreign Embassies in the UK on the drop down search menu.  Should the passport be with the Immigration Directorate please ring them for advice on 0870 606 7766 (wait till the end of the message and press 2 on the phone).  You will need to send them an official copy of the death certificate and ask them to return the passport to the appropriate Embassy.  Their address is Border and Immigration Agency, Lunar House, 14 Wellesley Road, Croydon, CR9 2BY.

A practical check list of who you may need to contact and things to do as soon as possible

Dealing with the estate

• If the deceased named you as executor in his or her will, you may need to obtain a grant of probate to administer the deceased's estate. www.direct.gov.uk (applying for probate)
   
• If there is no will and there is a need for you to handle the deceased's estate, then you should find out whether you are eligible to apply for a grant of letters of administration to administer the deceased's estate. For information, contact the Probate and Inheritance Tax helpline on 0845 30 20 900. www.direct.gov.uk (what to do if there is no will)
   
• Surviving relatives and friends may need to consider making a new will. It is important to do this as soon as the impact of changed circumstances is clear.
   
• As well as telling people who are close to the deceased, in many cases the personal representative will need to close down accounts, or cancel or change insurance details, subscriptions, agreements, payments or direct debits. They will also need to check the value of any insurance, pension funds or savings accounts and arrange payment of insurance or pension benefits and any outstanding tax or debts before distributing the remaining estate to beneficiaries.
   
• When returning any documents to organisations always, enclose a note of explanation giving details about the person who has died and the date of death. If you are returning account cards ensure they are cut vertically through any numbers and the signature strip.

Use the tick list to help you decide who you need to contact and what to do. Mark each one when you have dealt with it.

Some items on the list may have greater priority given your personal circumstances so it might help to look through it first and identify these. People will understand that you cannot let everyone know straight away.

For help with some of the next steps please follow the links below:

• Documents and information needed when someone dies
• What happens to debt when someone dies (money, tax and benefits section)
• Contact the Child Benefit Office
• Register with the Bereavement Register
• Register with the Deceased Preference Service
• Dealing with driver licensing (motoring section)
• Use the Royal Mail redirection service
• The UK Passport Service

Croydon Council useful links:

• The Council's website www.croydon.gov.uk
• Email general enquiries contact.thecouncil@croydon.gov.uk
• Phone general enquiries 020 8726 6000
• Croydon Council Registrars 020 8726 6300
• Bereavement Services 020 8684 3877
• Revenues and Benefits (Housing Benefit and Council tax) 020 8726 7000
• Social Services 020 8726 6500
• Education 020 8726 6400
• Housing tenants information when someone dies 020 8726 6100
• Croydon Equipment Service, Belgrave Road, Thornton Heath 020 8664 8860
• ARC recycling, refurbishment of donated household appliances 020 8681 6721
• Cherry Orchard Furniture Project 020 8681 6721

Benefits and tax credits

If you or the person who has died were receiving any benefits or tax credits, it is important to tell the office paying the benefit as soon as possible. You can find a telephone number and address in your phone book. They will have to reassess benefit entitlement, as circumstances will have changed. By doing this, you can prevent overpayments of benefit and also check any other benefits that you may be entitled to, such as bereavement benefits or Social Fund Funeral Payment. You can find out more about these benefits below.

Bereavement Benefits

If you are widowed or become a surviving civil partner, you may be entitled to bereavement benefits. You may claim these benefits even if you are working. All bereavement benefit claims must be made on form BB1. You can get this form from your local Jobcentre Plus office or from the website at www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk. It is important to note that there are time limits affecting all benefit claims. If you apply too late it may affect the amount you receive or you may receive nothing at all.

Bereavement Allowance/Widowed Parent's Allowance must be claimed within 3 months of the death of your spouse or civil partner. To receive Widowed Parent's Allowance you must be the main Child Benefit payee. If your late spouse or civil partner was the main payee for Child Benefit you will need to reclaim Child Benefit in your own name (see contact details below).

Bereavement Payment must be claimed within 12 months of the death of your spouse or civil partner.

Child Benefit

Child Benefit is a benefit paid to people who are bringing up children.

If a child has died, HM Revenue and Customs must be told within 8 weeks. Payment of Child Benefit for the child who has died will continue to be paid for 8 weeks after death.

You can tell HM Revenue and Customs:

• In writing: Child Benefit Office at PO Box 1, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE88 1AA
• Email: Child.Benefit@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk
• Telephone: 0845 302 1444
• Textphone: 0845 302 1474
• Website: www.hmrc.gov.uk/childbenefit/

Social Fund

You may be able to get a Social Fund payment to help you with the cost of the funeral. You can claim this payment on form SF200, which you can get from a Jobcentre Plus office or from the website at www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk. The time limit for claiming this payment is 3 months.

Benefits Check

The Department of Work and Pensions can help you to check your entitlements simply contact your nearest Jobcentre Plus Office. It is important to remember that all benefits have time limits and if you apply too late it may affect the amount you receive, or you may receive nothing at all.

In addition to those benefits mentioned above The Department of Work and Pensions booklet D49 gives details of other benefits, including how to get claim forms http://www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/dwp/2006/d49_april06.pdf. These include Guardian's Allowance, Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance, Pension Credit, Industrial Injuries, Disablement Benefit, Tax Credits, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit.

If any information on these pages is incorrect or if you would like an organisation included please email us at service.review@croydon.gov.uk

Thursday, 15 May, 2008

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