Guide
What to do when your mother dies
Losing your mother is profound, and the admin can feel relentless on top of the grief. Take it gently — here is the order that genuinely matters.
At a glance
- Follow the registration instructions for the UK nation where the death happened.
- Begin funeral arrangements and check for a will, prepaid plan or written wishes.
- Use Tell Us Once within 28 days if the person lived in England, Scotland or Wales; Northern Ireland uses separate services.
- Confirm who is authorised to deal with the estate before closing or transferring assets.
If you’re sorting out her affairs
As an adult child you may be the executor, or sharing the work with siblings. Look first for a will — it names who is responsible and who inherits. If your father has also died or your parents were divorced, the estate is more likely to need probate before accounts can be settled.
If your mother lived alone, remember to secure and insure her home, redirect her post, and check whether buildings insurance allows the property to be left unoccupied.
The first steps that apply to everyone
Whatever your situation, registration comes first. In England and Wales, wait for the medical examiner’s office to confirm you can register, then do so within 5 days. In Scotland, register within 8 days of the death. Northern Ireland has a separate process, normally within 5 days. Order the certified copies you expect to need, then begin funeral arrangements and check for any prepaid plan or written wishes your mother left.
Telling people and organisations
If the person lived in England, Scotland or Wales, use Tell Us Once within 28 days of receiving the reference number. It reports the death to HMRC, DWP, the passport office, DVLA and the local council. It is not available when the person lived in Northern Ireland. Banks, private pensions, insurers and household services must still be contacted directly.
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.
- Applying for probateGOV.UK Probate guidance for England and Wales, with links to Scotland and Northern Ireland.
- Who inherits if there’s no willGOV.UK The intestacy rules for England and Wales.
- What to do when someone dies: step by stepGOV.UK The official end-to-end checklist.
- Dealing with an estate in ScotlandScottish Courts Official guidance on confirmation and administering a Scottish estate.
- Probate in Northern Irelandnidirect Official Northern Ireland probate guidance.
Common questions
- Who deals with my mother’s estate if there’s no will?
- When there’s no will, the estate passes under the rules of intestacy and a close relative (often a child) can apply to be the administrator. A surviving spouse inherits first; children share what’s left.
- Do my siblings and I share the responsibility?
- If more than one of you is named as executor, you act together. If only one is named, that person is responsible but can ask the others to help and can use the estate to pay reasonable costs.
General information to help you find your way — not legal or financial advice. Last reviewed June 2026.