How to plan a funeral

What to do when someone dies

Immediately after a death – Practical matters

The days immediately after a bereavement can bring feelings of numbness, or of intense emotion. But there are also practical things that need to be done. When someone dies there are three practical things that need to be done in the first few days:

1. Get a medical certificate – you’ll get this from a doctor (GP or at a hospital) and you need one to register the death.

2. Register the death within five days of the death – you’ll then get the documents you need for the funeral.

3. Arrange the funeral – you can use a funeral director or do it yourself.

Step-by-step guidance

There are useful government guides with Step-by-step guidance in England and Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland showing what you need to do, when and what information you will need to be able to do it.
There are many other good sites full of tips and advice, our favourites are below.

The UK’s first and number one full online and printed comprehensive funeral guide, providing help and support to those who are dealing with death, arranging or preparing for a funeral or coping with grief.

Dying Matters is a broad based and inclusive national coalition of 30,000 members, which aims to change public knowledge, attitudes and behaviours towards dying, death and bereavement.

The Good Funeral Guide is wholly independent of the funeral industry and is dedicated to supporting, empowering and representing the interests of dying and bereaved people living in the UK.

Final Fling is the UK’s first one-stop shop for end of life planning. It offers a free account with a set of planning tools that let you sort your affairs. Why? To save family the burden. Give you peace of mind that it’ll be plain sailing sorting out your Estate, your stuff, your wishes.