Glossary

A certified copy of the death entry. Banks, insurers and pension providers usually want an original, not a photocopy.

Buy several copies at the appointment — extra copies cost more later.

The reference on the death entry in the register. Useful when ordering more certificates.

The certificate the registrar gives you that lets the funeral director go ahead with a burial or cremation.

The person who registers the death — usually a close relative.

The doctor's certificate saying what the person died of. You cannot register the death until it has been issued.

Since 2024 it is reviewed by a medical examiner before it reaches the register office. It is not the same as the official death certificate you buy copies of.

An independent doctor who checks the cause of death before the death can be registered.

Their office usually rings the next of kin for a short conversation and asks if you have any concerns about the care given.

The council official who formally records the death and issues certificates.

In England and Wales you normally register within 5 days, by appointment at a register office.

A free government service that reports the death to most government departments and the council in one go.

The registrar gives you a reference number. It does not tell banks, insurers or utilities — you do those yourself.

An independent judicial officer who investigates deaths that are sudden, unexplained, violent or where no doctor can certify the cause.

A coroner's involvement is routine and is not a suggestion that anyone did anything wrong. It can delay registration.

Your day-to-day contact in the coroner's office. Keep their name and case number — you will use it a lot.

A public hearing where the coroner establishes who died, and when, where and how. It does not decide blame.

If an inquest is opened, the coroner can issue an interim certificate so you can deal with practical matters while it continues.

A document the coroner issues while an inquest is ongoing. Most organisations accept it in place of a death certificate.

The closest living relative. It has no automatic legal power over the estate — that comes from the will or intestacy rules.

A medical examination to find out how someone died. The coroner can order one without family consent.

The police attend any unexpected death to confirm there are no suspicious circumstances. It is standard, not an accusation.

The police do not arrange removal of belongings, clean the property or secure it long-term. That falls to the family or estate.

The room at the funeral home where you can visit the person before the funeral.

A cremation with no service and no mourners present. The cheapest option; you can hold your own memorial later.

Third-party costs the funeral director pays on your behalf — crematorium or burial fees, doctors' fees, minister, flowers.

They sit on top of the funeral director's own fee. Ask for them itemised.

The firm that takes the person into their care and arranges the funeral. You are free to choose any firm and to change your mind.

A funeral paid for in advance. Check the paperwork before booking anything — it may already cover most of the cost.

The equivalent of an executor when there is no will. Appointed under the intestacy rules, usually the closest relative.

Someone who inherits something from the estate.

A signed addition or change to an existing will. It must be read with the will.

A legal document letting beneficiaries redirect what they inherit, usually within two years of the death.

Everything the person owned minus everything they owed — property, money, possessions, debts.

The person named in the will who is legally responsible for sorting out the estate. You can decline the role.

The court document that proves the executor's authority. Banks and the Land Registry ask to see it.

The general term covering both a grant of probate and letters of administration.

Dying without a valid will. Fixed legal rules then decide who inherits — not what the family thinks was intended.

Unmarried partners and stepchildren inherit nothing automatically under the intestacy rules.

The same authority as a grant of probate, but where there is no valid will.

The umbrella term for an executor or an administrator.

Authority to act for someone while they are alive. It ends the moment they die — it gives you no power over the estate.

The legal process of proving the will and getting authority to deal with the estate.

Not every estate needs it. Small estates and assets held jointly often pass without it — ask each bank what their limit is.

What is left of the estate after debts, taxes, costs and specific gifts have been paid out.

A benefit for a surviving spouse or civil partner: a lump sum plus monthly payments. There is a time limit to claim.

A separate bank account used to gather in the estate's money and pay debts, so nothing is mixed with your own money.

Help with funeral costs for people on certain benefits. Claim it soon after the funeral, not years later.

Tax that may be due on larger estates. Most estates pay none, but a return may still be needed.

The slice of an estate that is free of inheritance tax. An extra allowance can apply when a home passes to children or grandchildren.

The value of house contents and possessions as they would sell second-hand — usually far lower than families expect.

Assets are valued at their open-market value on the date of death, not what they cost or what you hope to get.

Any material that carries a risk of infection — blood, body fluids, soiled bedding, sharps, heavy soiling from hoarding.

It needs specialist removal and licensed disposal, not household cleaning products and bin bags.

Treating a property to kill flies, wasps or other insects. Usually done before cleaning, so the source is dealt with first.

A Gas Safe engineer disconnecting and sealing a gas supply or appliance, with a certificate for the file.

Severe accumulation of belongings. It usually needs a staged approach: safety survey, pests, clearance, then deep clean.

Emptying a property of furniture and belongings, with items sorted for keeping, donating, resale and disposal.

Ask whether the firm holds a waste carrier licence and gives you waste transfer documentation. You can use any local provider.

The formal notice ending a rented tenancy after a death. Rent usually keeps running until the notice period ends.

Removal of rodents or insects, common where a property has been empty, soiled or hoarded.

Personal protective equipment — gloves, mask or respirator, eye protection, coveralls and shoe covers.

Decontamination after an unattended death, serious injury or severe soiling, done in PPE with hospital-grade products.

Based on 17 years of this work: the smell and staining are absorbed into flooring and plaster, so surface cleaning alone rarely resolves it.

A death not discovered for some time. Expect strong odour, insect activity and damage to floors and furnishings.

Keep internal doors and windows closed until specialists attend, and be prepared for sensory shock if you go in.

Most home policies limit cover once a house is empty, often after 30 days. Tell the insurer straight away.

A landlord's or council's word for an empty home. Tenancies often require it returned cleared and cleaned.

Registration that allows a firm to remove waste legally. Without it, fly-tipped items can be traced back to the estate.