Funeral wishes, probate and digital accounts
After a death, organise essential records, identify whether probate or confirmation is needed and handle digital accounts without sharing passwords.
How this guide was prepared
Purpose: rights guidance · Level: detailed
Checked by: Does Your Duck Quack. Sources are linked below; seek professional advice for individual circumstances.
The short answer
What to do first
After a death, organise essential records, identify whether probate or confirmation is needed and handle digital accounts without sharing passwords.
Start here: Register the death and obtain the documents needed for practical arrangements. Find the will, if there is one, and identify the executor; without a will, the legal administrator may need authority before dealing with assets. Do not assume that being next of kin gives automatic access to bank accounts or authority to distribute belongings.
Visual guides
See the decision at a glance
- Immediate arrangementsFollow professional advice on certification and registration, then check recorded funeral wishes and who will arrange them.
- Estate processExecutors use probate, confirmation or the Northern Ireland process as appropriate before distributing assets.
- Digital accountsUse provider bereavement or legacy routes, preserve important data and avoid sharing passwords or accessing accounts unlawfully.
- Keep recordsDocument costs, decisions, property, debts, notifications and official references.
Scope of this guide
This guide helps you understand the options and questions to ask. It is not personal medical, legal or financial advice. Check the official sources for your nation and seek qualified help for high-stakes decisions.
Who this guide is for
Executors, administrators and relatives handling practical, legal and online matters after someone has died, including people managing affairs across UK nations.
After a death, families may need to arrange a funeral, contact organisations, secure the home and work out who can deal with money and property. The legal process depends on where the person lived and what they owned. Make a list, keep copies of correspondence and avoid using the person’s passwords or accessing accounts outside the provider’s process.
What to prepare and ask for
1. Get official documents and establish who can act
Register the death and obtain the documents needed for practical arrangements. Find the will, if there is one, and identify the executor; without a will, the legal administrator may need authority before dealing with assets. Do not assume that being next of kin gives automatic access to bank accounts or authority to distribute belongings.
2. Arrange the funeral and check possible support
Ask the person’s recorded wishes and check whether there is a prepaid arrangement, insurance or money set aside. A funeral director is not required to decide every detail; families may compare options or make arrangements themselves. If costs are difficult, check eligibility for the relevant government funeral payment before committing.
3. Find out whether a grant of representation is needed
In England and Wales, probate or letters of administration may be needed to collect and distribute some assets. Scotland uses confirmation, and Northern Ireland has its own probate process. Some institutions release limited funds without a grant, but thresholds and policies differ, so ask each organisation what evidence it requires.
4. Handle digital accounts through formal routes
Make a list of email, social media, online storage, subscriptions and financial accounts. Use any legacy or memorialisation settings the person arranged and contact each provider about its process. Do not try to guess passwords, bypass security or move money.
5. Keep records and share duties
Create a dated record of calls, forms, reference numbers, assets, bills and decisions. Store original documents safely and give copies only to people who need them. Ask a trusted relative or professional to handle a defined task if helpful, while the executor or administrator retains oversight.
Evidence and questions
- Wishes discussed with relevant people
- Will location known
- Executors willing to act
- Funeral-plan provider checked
- Assets and debts listed
- Digital instructions protect security
- Death registration and required documents obtained
- Will and executor or administrator identified
- Funeral wishes and possible financial support checked
- Each institution asked whether a grant is needed
- Digital accounts handled through provider processes
- Calls, assets, expenses and decisions recorded
Common questions
What is the difference between probate and confirmation?
Probate is the term commonly used in England and Wales for authority to administer an estate when there is a will; letters of administration may apply in other circumstances. Scotland uses confirmation. Northern Ireland has its own probate registry and process.
Do I always need probate to close accounts?
No. Some organisations may release smaller balances or accept other evidence, while property, investments or account rules may require a grant. Requirements vary by institution and nation. Contact each organisation before making assumptions, and do not distribute estate money until debts, expenses and authority have been considered.
Can I use the deceased person’s email or banking password?
Do not use or guess their passwords to access accounts. Contact each provider and follow its bereavement or legacy process; financial accounts generally require formal authority. An executor can ask providers what documents are needed. This protects the estate and other people’s private information and avoids breaching account terms or security rules.
Is there help with funeral costs?
Government support may be available for eligible people, but the scheme depends on where the deceased lived and the claimant’s circumstances. England, Wales and Northern Ireland use Funeral Expenses Payment rules, while Scotland has Funeral Support Payment. Check eligibility and application deadlines before relying on support, and keep invoices and evidence of benefits or income.
Before you act
Write down the outcome you want, the names and dates involved, and the evidence or documents you already have. Ask for important decisions, costs and next steps in writing. If information is unclear, ask which nation’s rules are being used and when the decision will be reviewed.
If there is a delay or disagreement
Keep a short factual record of calls, letters and missed actions. Ask for the responsible person, the written reasons, the complaints or review route and any deadline. Immediate health or safety risks should be escalated separately rather than waiting for a routine complaint.
Differences across the UK
Probate in England and Wales, confirmation in Scotland and probate in Northern Ireland follow different court processes. England and Wales use probate or letters of administration; Scotland uses confirmation; Northern Ireland has a separate probate process. Funeral payment schemes also differ, including Funeral Support Payment in Scotland. Rules about estates, applications and fees can change. Use the official probate service for the relevant nation and seek independent advice for complex estates.
Primary sources
The publisher checked this guide against the 7 official sources below. This is an editorial source check, not approval by a clinician, lawyer or benefits adviser.
- GOV.UK: What to do when someone dies
- GOV.UK: Applying for probate
- GOV.UK: Tell Us Once
- Scottish Courts and Tribunals: Confirmation
- nidirect: Probate and administering an estate
- GOV.UK: Funeral Expenses Payment
- mygov.scot: Funeral Support Payment
Related guides
- Wills, executors and document storage across the UK
- End of life care at home: what to expect, support and after a death
- Funeral plans UK: how they work, costs and FCA protection
- What to do when someone dies: practical first steps
- Inheritance tax and gifting: allowances, rules and records
- Bereavement benefits and money after a partner dies
- What is probate? Grant of probate explained in the UK
Editorial note: By Does Your Duck Quack.