What to do after someone dies

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What to do if a child or baby dies

You must register the death. You may also need to report the death of a child to other organisations depending on your circumstances.

There are different rules for registering a stillbirth.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

Child Benefit

You need to tell the Child Benefit Office in HMRC as soon as possible if a child eligible for Child Benefit dies. This applies even if you opted out for any reason, like the High Income Child Benefit Charge.

You can either:

Find out what happens to Child Benefit payments if a child or parent dies and how to claim if you’ve not yet done so.

If a child is stillborn

You cannot claim Child Benefit if the child is stillborn.

If you get other benefits as a parent or carer

If a child or baby has died and you get benefits because you’re their parent or carer, you must tell the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) as soon as possible.

Other benefits could include:

  • Universal Credit
  • Disability Living Allowance for children
  • Guardian’s Allowance

DWP Bereavement Service
Telephone: 0800 151 2012
Welsh language: 0800 731 0453
Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 151 2012
British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service if you’re on a computer - find out how to use the service on mobile or tablet
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
Find out about call charges

If you get support for a disabled child from your local council

You must tell your local council if a disabled child they provided support for has died. Support could include:

  • help paying for childcare
  • help for special educational needs
  • leasing a car from the Motability Scheme
  • providing short break care or care at home

You can use the Tell Us Once service to tell your local council.

Sure Start Maternity Grant

You can still get the grant if you qualify. You must make a claim within 3 months of the birth.

Maternity and paternity leave and pay

You’ll still qualify for leave and pay if your baby:

  • is stillborn after the start of the 24th week of pregnancy
  • dies after being born

Parental bereavement leave and pay

You and your partner may be eligible for parental bereavement leave and pay if you’re employed and either:

  • your child dies before they turn 18
  • you have a stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy

The death or stillbirth must have happened on or after 6 April 2020.

Child Trust Fund payments

When a child dies, any money in their Child Trust Fund account - including any payments from the government - usually passes to whoever inherits the child’s estate.

View a printable version of the whole guide

This page is Part of What to do when someone dies: step by step

  1. Step 1 Register the death

    1. Register the death

    Check what to do if:

  2. Step 2 Tell government about the death

    The Tell Us Once service allows you to inform all the relevant government departments when someone dies.

    1. Use the Tell Us Once service to tell government
    2. If you cannot use Tell Us Once, tell government yourself

    You'll also need to tell organisations outside government, like employers and private pension providers, banks, and utility companies.

  3. Step 3 Arrange the funeral

    1. Arrange the funeral
    2. Get help paying for a funeral
    3. Get help paying for a child's funeral

  4. Step 4 Check if you can get bereavement benefits

    You might be eligible for financial help.

    Check if you can get:

  5. and Deal with your own benefits, pension and taxes

    Your tax, benefit claims and pension might change depending on your relationship with the person who died.

    1. Manage your tax, pensions and benefits if your partner has died
    2. You are currently viewing: Check how benefits are affected if a child dies

  6. and Find bereavement support and services

    Get help with managing grief and the things you need to do when someone dies.

    1. Find bereavement help and support
    2. Find bereavement services from your local council

  7. and Check if you need to apply to stay in the UK

    If your right to live in the UK depends on your relationship with someone who died you might need to apply for a new visa.

    Check the rules if:

    1. Contact UKVI to check the rules for other visas

  8. Step 5 Value the estate and check if you need to pay Inheritance Tax

    To find out if there’s Inheritance Tax to pay, you need to estimate the value of the property, money and possessions (the ‘estate’) of the person who died.

    1. Value the estate and pay Inheritance Tax if it's due

  9. Step 6 Apply for probate

    You might need to apply for probate before you can deal with the property, money and possessions (the ‘estate’) of the person who died.

    1. Check if you need to apply for probate
    1. Apply for probate

  10. Step 7 Deal with the estate

    Pay any debts or taxes owed by the person who's died. You can then distribute the estate as set out in the will or the law.

    1. Deal with the estate
    1. Update property records