A guide for UK families, in bereavement and before.
A step-by-step bereavement guide for UK families.
AfterLoss guides you through the practical side of bereavement, step by step. Whether you're dealing with a loss right now or planning ahead for your family, we'll help you know what to do and when.
The practical steps that follow a death, explained plainly and ordered by what matters now. A steady guide, so nothing important is missed.
Whatever you manage today is enough. The rest waits, in order, until you come back.
Record your wishes in your own words. Keep the papers, passwords, and small details that matter in one place. So the admin, when it comes, is gentler than it might have been.
When the time comes, everything you've recorded carries over to the people you've chosen.
A note from the founder
AfterLoss began when my dad died, after years with dementia. I spent months doing the admin that follows a death; it was the last thing I wanted to figure out from scratch.
This is the guide I wished I'd had.
Steve
Steve Scott, founder
From the patron · In partnership with Dying Matters Rutland · April 2026
"We never know when we will die, but we all know that we will. And it is so important to do the simple, practical things in advance. Planning ahead is an act of love."
Dr Sarah Furness
Lord-Lieutenant of Rutland · Patron, Dying Matters in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland
What you will find inside
Sorted by what matters now. Each step tells you exactly what to do, what you'll need, and who to contact.
The exact words for every difficult call, every form. Pre-filled with your details. Copy, paste, send.
Death certificates, wills, correspondence, pension statements. Categorised, searchable, shared with the right people.
Invite family and friends with the right level of access. Read-only to keep people informed, or full access to share the work.
Probate, inheritance tax, Tell Us Once, funeral costs, digital legacies. The questions that feel hardest to ask, answered gently.
Whether you're dealing with a loss or preparing for one, here are answers to the questions families ask most.
Contact a funeral director; they can collect the person and guide you through immediate next steps. You'll also need to register the death (usually within 5 days in England and Wales) and start notifying key organisations. Our step-by-step guide walks you through exactly what to do and when, so nothing gets missed.
Not always. Probate is usually needed when the person who died owned property, had savings above certain thresholds (which vary by bank), or held investments. Many banks will release small balances without probate; our bank probate thresholds guide lists the limits for 15 major UK banks. If the estate is straightforward and held jointly, you may not need it at all.
AfterLoss is a web app that helps UK families in two ways: it guides you through everything that needs to happen after someone dies (registering the death, closing accounts, applying for probate), and it lets you plan your own funeral and end-of-life wishes in advance. Either way, it creates a personalised checklist, tracks your progress, and lets you share tasks with family members.
Yes. When you sign up, you can choose 'I'm planning ahead' instead of 'Someone has passed away'. You'll see the same comprehensive checklist across five phases, but without any deadlines or time pressure. You can review what needs to happen, gather documents and reference numbers, store key details, and invite family members so everyone knows the plan. When the time comes, you can transition to the full bereavement journey with one click, and everything you've prepared carries over.
AfterLoss is currently free of charge for early users. As the site grows, we expect to have to cover costs, so will be implementing a charge at that point. In the meantime, rest assured you will not be charged if you register now.
Yes. Bereavement law differs across the UK. Scotland uses 'confirmation' rather than probate, and Northern Ireland has its own grant of representation process. AfterLoss detects your jurisdiction and tailors your checklist, guidance, and legal references accordingly.
Tell Us Once is a free government service that notifies HMRC, DWP, the Passport Office, DVLA, and local council services of a death in a single call. However, it doesn't cover banks, building societies, pension providers, insurers, utility companies, or subscriptions. You still need to contact those individually. AfterLoss helps you track all of these.
Yes. AfterLoss lets you invite family members or co-executors to collaborate on the same case. Each person can see the task list, update progress, and add notes, so nobody's duplicating work or missing something important.
No. AfterLoss helps you understand what needs to happen and tracks your progress, but it's not a substitute for legal advice. Our guides explain when you're likely to need a solicitor (for example, if there's a dispute, a complex trust, or overseas assets) and we'd always recommend getting professional advice if you're unsure.
Reference guides
Start here
A step-by-step checklist for England & Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The first calls to make, the registrations required, and what can safely wait.
Read the guide
How much you can access without probate at 15 UK banks.
How to notify the government once, after registering a death.
Your duties, timeline, and personal liability.
What happens to online accounts when someone dies.
