Before the time comes
Plan ahead, at your own pace.
Getting your affairs in order is a kindness to the people you love. These guides cover the decisions one at a time: start anywhere, though most people begin with the will.
A two-minute overview
Wills & guardianship
Decide who gets what, and who looks after whom.
Estate Planning
18 minA practical UK estate planning checklist covering wills, power of attorney and funeral wishes, with costs and jurisdiction differences.
Read the guide
Making a Will
16 minHow to make a will in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Costs, legal requirements, and what happens if you die without one.
Read the guide
DIY Will vs Solicitor
14 minThe costs of DIY wills, online services, and solicitor-drafted wills compared, and when each option makes sense.
Read the guide
Where to Keep a Will
12 minSafe storage options for wills and important documents, from the Probate Registry to solicitors - and how to make sure your will can be found.
Read the guide
Naming Guardians
12 minHow to appoint a legal guardian for your children if you die. What happens if you don't, who can be a guardian, and how to make the right choice.
Read the guide
Powers & advance decisions
Choose who can speak, if you can't speak yourself.
Power of Attorney
18 minHow to set up a lasting power of attorney in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Types, costs, and step-by-step process.
Read the guide
Living Wills & Advance Decisions
16 minWhat advance decisions are, how they work, and what you need to know about living wills in England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
Read the guide
End-of-Life Planning
16 minA practical UK guide to advance care planning, DNACPR, ReSPECT forms, choosing where to be cared for, benefits, and having the conversation.
Read the guide
Funeral wishes & costs
Record what matters to you, so the day reflects it.
Funeral Wishes
12 minHow to plan your own funeral and record your wishes so your family knows what matters to you.
Read the guide
Prepaid Funeral Plans
18 minA practical guide to prepaid funeral plans in the UK. What they cover, what they cost, FCA regulation, and how to choose one.
Read the guide
Water Cremation
16 minWater cremation is now legal in Scotland. What it is, how it works, what it costs, and when it will be available across the UK.
Read the guide
Water Cremation: The Evidence
15 minA plain-English review of the research into water cremation: the science, the environmental claims, the effluent question, and where the law stands.
Read the guide
If you're caring for someone now
For the time you are in, not just what comes after.
Anticipatory Grief
12 minGrief that begins before a death. What it is, why it is normal, and what helps while you are caring for someone at the end of their life.
Read the guide
When Someone Dies in a Care Home
14 minHow care homes handle a death, so you know what to expect and what will be asked of you when the time comes.
Read the guide
Care Home Fees
16 minHow care home fees are settled from an estate, and what to understand about contracts and deposits before you need to.
Read the guide
Care, pensions & later-life finances
Tidy the practical things, before they become urgent.
Pensions & Inheritance Tax 2027
14 minFrom April 2027, unused pension funds count towards inheritance tax. What is changing, who is affected, and what families and executors need to do.
Read the guide
Inheritance Tax Planning
14 minA practical guide to IHT planning ahead of the April 2027 pension changes. Allowances, the spouse exemption, gifting rules, and what to review now.
Read the guide
Something to print
Everything you record, on one printed pack.
The AfterLoss Family Pack
An A4 pack, generated from your own plan, that your family can pick up and use without needing your password, your phone, or you. Where the papers are, who to tell, the numbers every organisation asks for, and your wishes in your own words.
See a filled-in example
A PDF you can read now. No email address, no account.
Further reading