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 untiltill 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:
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 Community Equipment Service, Access Ability Centre, Belgrave
Road, Thornton Heath 28 Boulogne Road, Croydon 020 8664 8860
Croydon Appliance Re-use Centre (ARC) recycling, refurbishment of
donated household appliances 020 8662 8002
www.arc-croydon.org.uk
Cherry Orchard Furniture Recycling and Removals Project, Amenity
Recycling Centre, 22 Grafton Road, Croydon, CR0 3RP Tel: 020 8662 8002
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.
www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk - bereavement benefits guide.
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
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.
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
to help
you decide who you need to contact and what to do
