Wills dealing with the loss of a loved one

After a family member or a loved one dies, the last thing anyone wants to have to do is deal with the legal formalities of their death. However, it’s a legal requirement that you do so, and if you don’t, you may end up causing yourself even more stress over the ensuing weeks.



A death must be registered in England and Wales within five days of the death having occurred..If the cause of death isn't certain, the coroner's office may be instructed to carry out a post mortem to determine the cause of death. In all other cases, the hospital where the death took place, or the GP stating the cause of death, will give you a medical certificate of the cause of death.  You will then need to telephone the local Registrar of Births, Deaths & Marriages to make an appointment to register the death with them. If the coroner's office is involved, they will inform you once it has instructed the registrar to issue the death certificate and you can make the necessary appointment with the Registrar of Births, Death & Marriages at that time. 

On seeing the registrar and completing the formalities, you'll be handed a folder containing the death certificate and a form to be completed for the Department of Works and Pensions. This form should be completed as soon as possible and posted to the Department of Works and Pensions, which, if necessary, will stop any pension and benefits payments the deceased was receiving. You will also be given a certificate of burial or cremation (known as a 'green form') which you will need to give to the funeral directors.



Some wills contain funeral instructions, so it's important to try to find the will as soon as possible. If you find a copy of a will and it's been made by a solicitor, it will normally have the name, address and telephone number of the solicitor on the front page. A call should be made to the solicitor as soon as possible to establish the whereabouts of the original will.



Once a will is found to exist, it will tell you who the executor is, and they should be contacted immediately. If the deceased has not been able to make a will, a solicitor will advise you as to who's entitled to administer the estate. This is normally an immediate member of the family. 



Apart from the registrar, funeral director and solicitor, you should notify all immediate family and close friends and also the deceased's GP. If you don't know who the GP is, the hospital will normally have this information or contact the local NHS Trust..If the deceased was employed, their employers should be told as soon as possible. 



You will need to provide the registrar with the place and date of birth of the deceased and therefore you should try to locate the birth certificate, together with any marriage certificate or civil partnership certificate as soon as possible. It's also advisable to try to find the National Insurance number, tax reference, and NHS medical card, together with passport and driving licence.



Paul Buchanan writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.