Firstly, when somebody has died, you need to register the death at your local register office, generally within 5 days of the date of the person’s passing. You may need an appointment to register the death, and the death should be registered by a relative if possible. When you contact the registry office, they will tell you what you need to do, and they may also want to see certain documents, for example, the deceased ‘s birth certificate, driving licence, marriage certificate, and proof of address. The registrar will also need to know the following:

• the person’s full name at the time of death
• any names previously used, e.g., maiden name
• the person’s date and place of birth
• their last address
• their occupation
• the full name, date of birth, and occupation of a surviving or late spouse or civil partner
• whether they were getting a State Pension or any other benefits

Once the death has been registered, the registrar will then provide you with a certificate to enable you to arrange the funeral, and at this point, you’ll be able to purchase a death certificate to prove that the death has been registered.

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Purchase several copies of the death certificate, specially if you’re going to be dealing with a lot of finance organisations. Banks, estate agents and pension providers will all require an official copy of the death certificate.