Resources
Clear, practical information, free to anyone who needs it
Free, simple guides to the admin that follows a death in the UK: registering the death, probate, tracing assets and settling the estate.
Who to tell when someone dies: in what order, and what each one asks for
Every organisation to notify after a death, grouped by week, with what each will ask you for. Tell Us Once, the Death Notification Service, insurers, pensions, utilities and how to stop the post. Printable.
What to do when someone dies: the admin, step by step
Registering the death, telling the right people, applying for probate and settling the estate: what happens, in what order, and how long it takes.
Executor deadlines: every date that matters after a death
Registration, tax, notices and distribution: which deadlines are fixed by law, which are convention, and what happens if you miss one.
How to find a deceased person's assets and debts
Around £50 billion sits unclaimed in UK accounts. Where to look, which free tracing services to use, and how to know when you've searched enough.
Probate explained: what it is, whether you need it, and how to apply
What a grant of probate actually does, how to tell whether this estate needs one, what applying involves, and what it costs in 2026.
Do I need probate? Check your situation
A two-minute checker and a specific answer for 26 situations: if there is a will, if your husband or wife has died, joint accounts, tenants in common, Premium Bonds, pensions, selling the house and more.
How much does probate cost in 2026?
The £526 court fee, what doing it yourself really adds up to, and what solicitors, fixed-fee firms and banks actually charge, from their published price lists. With a cost estimator.
How long does probate take right now?
Live wait times from HMCTS's monthly figures, the full timeline from death to distribution, why applications get stopped, and a date estimator.