Free guidance for England and Wales
What to do after someone dies,
one step at a time
Most people feel overwhelmed at first: so much to do, so many new words to learn, and pressure arriving while you are still grieving. This guide gives you the right order, plain English, and a single next step to focus on.
Free to use. No account needed. Nothing you write leaves your device.
One step at a time
The app hides what does not apply to you and shows only the next real action, with why it matters, how long it takes and what it usually costs.
It remembers where you stopped
Ticks, notes, reference numbers, contacts and costs are saved on your own phone or computer, so you can put it down for a week and pick it straight back up.
Free, with donations only
Families never pay. There is no subscription and no paywall. If it helped you over the months that follow, you can leave a donation — and only then.
Add the app to your phone
This works best as an app on your own phone. Installed, it keeps your place, your notes and your reference numbers between visits, and it still works with no signal — at a hospital, a registrar's office or an empty house.
- On iPhone: open this page in Safari, tap the share button, then “Add to Home Screen”.
- On Android: open this page in Chrome, tap the menu, then “Install app” or “Add to Home screen”.
- On a computer: use the install icon in the address bar, or simply bookmark it.
Nothing is uploaded and there is nothing to sign up for. If you read the guide here on the website without installing it, you can still use everything — it will just remember less if you clear your browser.
Open the app and answer three questionsHow the guide works
- 1
First 48 hours
Who to call, the medical certificate, the coroner, what the Police do, and making the property safe.
- 2
First week
Registering the death, Tell Us Once, death certificates and choosing a funeral director.
- 3
First month
The will, executor duties, valuing the estate, probate, banks, utilities and insurers.
- 4
Property
Securing and insuring the home, contents, clearance, cleaning, gas capping and handing it on.
- 5
Finishing
Distributing the estate, closing the estate account and what to keep, and for how long.
Guides and articles
See all guidesHow many death certificates do I need? A simple way to work it out
Why every bank, pension and insurer wants its own certified copy, how many to order, and the free services that can save you from ordering more.
First steps · 8 min readWhat to do when someone dies: the UK checklist, in order
A calm, ordered checklist for England and Wales — what happens in the first hours, the first five days, the first month, and what can safely wait.
Property · 7 min readUnattended death cleaning and biohazard clearance, explained honestly
What specialist decontamination actually involves after an unattended death, what families should never attempt themselves, and how to check a company is legitimate.
Probate · 6 min readValuing an estate for probate without overcomplicating it
How to estimate what someone owned and owed, what HMRC expects, and where executors most often go wrong.
Free for families, donation only
There is no subscription, no paywall and no upgrade. Everything in the app is free for as long as you need it. Months later, if it genuinely helped, you are welcome to leave a small donation towards keeping it online and up to date — and if you never do, nothing changes.
How support worksSolicitor, funeral director, estate agent, council or care team? See the professionals page to refer families or ask about a custom version of the app for your clients.
Ready to begin?
Answer three short questions so the guide only shows what applies to you. You can change your answers at any time.
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