Guide
What to do when your husband dies
Losing your husband is one of the hardest things you will ever face. There is no need to do everything at once — here is what genuinely comes first, and what can wait.
At a glance
- Wait until the relevant medical or registration service confirms what happens next.
- Register the death, order the certified copies you expect to need, and begin funeral arrangements.
- Use Tell Us Once in England, Scotland or Wales, then contact banks, pensions, insurers and household providers.
- Check Bereavement Support Payment early: claiming within 3 months protects the full payment.
1. Register the death
In England and Wales, wait for the medical examiner’s office to confirm that registration can go ahead, then register within 5 days of that confirmation. In Scotland, register within 8 days of the death. Northern Ireland has a separate registration process, normally within 5 days. A coroner, procurator fiscal or other investigation can change the timing, so follow the instructions you are given.
2. Order death certificates
You can order certified copies when you register. Some banks, pension providers and insurers still ask to see one, while others accept an upload or verify the death another way. Check what the organisations involved require before ordering a large number.
3. Tell the right people, once
In England, Scotland and Wales, Tell Us Once reports the death to most government departments in one step. It is not available when the person was living in Northern Ireland. As his widow — or in some cases as a cohabiting partner responsible for a child — you may qualify for Bereavement Support Payment. Claim within 3 months for the full payment; claims are usually accepted up to 21 months after the death.
4. Banks, pensions and bills
Contact his bank, any pension providers and insurers. Joint accounts usually pass to you, but each provider will explain their own process. Take meter readings if utility accounts need changing.
Where to go
The official UK services and trusted support for this — so you can act, not just read.
- Register a deathGOV.UK Find and book your local register office, and see what to bring.
- Tell Us OnceGOV.UK Report a death to most government departments in one go.
- Bereavement Support PaymentGOV.UK Check if you qualify and how to claim within the time limit.
- What to do when someone dies: step by stepGOV.UK The official end-to-end checklist.
General information to help you find your way — not legal or financial advice. Last reviewed June 2026.