About AfterLoss
Why I built AfterLoss
After my dad died, the practical side of loss was overwhelming. This is the guide I wished I'd had.
My dad died late last year, after years with dementia. I expected the grief. What I didn't expect was how much there was to sort out: the will, power of attorney, the banks, the utilities, registering the death, probate. Every one wanted something different, and it all landed at the same time, when I had the least capacity to deal with it.
What got me was how hard it was just to find out what to do. The information is out there, but it's scattered across different government sites, with one set of rules for England and Wales, another for Scotland, another for Northern Ireland. You end up stitching it together yourself, at exactly the wrong moment.
Not a checklist to be "completed", but a companion for a journey you get through.
So I built the thing I wished I'd had: one place that tells you what to do and when, in plain English, at whatever pace you can manage. And because it shouldn't all fall on one person, you can share it with family and take a piece each.
Since then I've realised the need doesn't start with a death. Some people want to get things in order while a loved one is still here. Others want to sort out their own affairs, so their family has less to handle later. So we added planning mode: the same guidance, without the deadlines. A way to get ready, quietly, before anything happens.
Steve
Steve Scott, founder
What we built
AfterLoss puts everything in one place. Your plan is built around where you are in the UK, so the terms, the steps and the deadlines match England & Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland - whichever applies to you.
It's organised into five phases with a clear next step, so you always know what to do now and what can wait. You can invite family, friends, or a solicitor and choose what each of them can see and do, so it isn't all on you. The documents, notes, finished steps, and details that matter all stay together.
I call them "steps", not "tasks", on purpose. This is something you get through, not a project to run. The tone stays calm, and you go at your own speed.
It works for planning ahead too. If someone close is nearing the end of their life, or you just want to put your own affairs in order, you can see what will need doing, gather the documents, and note the important details - with no deadlines and no pressure. When the time comes, one switch turns it into the full bereavement guide, with everything you've prepared already there.
Who built it
I'm Steve Scott, and I've spent over 15 years as Director of Portfolio Development at Digital Science, where I was one of the founding management team. My role has been to guide early-stage startup founders through product validation, go-to-market strategy, and growth - overseeing investments and serving as a non-executive director across companies in the US, Canada, Israel, Germany, and the UK.
Before Digital Science, I founded my own startups, led product teams at Nature Publishing Group, and built some of the earliest interactive digital services in the UK, from interactive television at the BBC to one of the first commerce-enabled cable TV platforms. I've been involved with ten startups in total, across publishing, scientific research, broadcasting, and technology.
I say all of this not to impress, but to explain: I've spent my career building products that solve real problems for real people. When I experienced the chaos of bereavement administration first-hand, I knew I had the skills to build something better. AfterLoss is the product of that personal need meeting professional experience.
The thinking that shaped this
AfterLoss is our own work, but it stands on the thinking of others. One book that helped shape our planning-ahead guidance is Evie King's end-of-life planner. If you like working things through on paper, it is a warm companion to what we do here.
Built with care and rigour
The standards behind every step
- Thoroughly researched
- Every guide and checklist is researched from official government sources including GOV.UK, mygov.scot, and nidirect, as well as established charities and financial institutions.
- Private by design
- No data is sold. No ads are shown. No tracking beyond what is needed to make the service work. Your information stays private and under your control.
- Easy to begin
- Create an account and get a personalised checklist in minutes. The guides are free to read without signing up, whenever you need them.
- Kept up to date
- UK bereavement law and processes change. Bank thresholds shift. Government services evolve. AfterLoss is actively maintained to reflect the current landscape.
Important information
AfterLoss provides general information about bereavement administration in the United Kingdom. The guides are researched from official government sources and are updated regularly, but they are not a substitute for professional legal, tax, or financial advice.
If you're dealing with a complex estate, disputes, or significant inheritance tax liability, we recommend consulting a solicitor or professional estate administrator.
If you're struggling with grief, please visit our support resources page for free and confidential helplines.
Whenever you're ready
Create a personalised checklist tailored to your situation - whether you're managing things now or planning ahead. Or explore the demo to see how it works.