# source/domain-registers/death-and-bereavement.v1.yaml

Browser-rendered handoff of repository-authored YAML. Source identity: `source/domain-registers/death-and-bereavement.v1.yaml`. Links and original summaries are shown; external source content is not redistributed.

    register_version: life-course-domain-register.v1
    pack_id: pack-8-mobility-later-life-and-death
    domain: death-and-bereavement
    title: Death and bereavement
    status: population_complete
    observed_at: "2026-08-08"
    link_receipts: evaluation/link-receipts/pack-8-mobility-later-life-death-2026-08-08
    acquisition:
      mode: linked_reference_only
      snapshots_acquired: false
      source_response_bodies_retained: false
      publication_allowed: false
      rights_policy: link_and_summarize_source_family_decisions_recorded
    _source_defaults: &source_defaults
      access_method: public_html
      version_model: live_service_guidance
      update_cadence: check_before_each_use
      rights_basis: linked_reference_summary_only_source_family_decision_recorded
      observed_at: "2026-08-08"
      checksum: not_applicable_no_snapshot
    _family_defaults: &family_defaults
      primary_jurisdictions: [England, Wales]
      specialist_review: required
    route_sources:
      - <<: *source_defaults
        id: death-bereavement-scotland-handoff
        jurisdiction: Scotland
        title: Births, deaths and family in Scotland
        owner: Scottish Government
        authority_role: scotland_death_bereavement_handoff
        resource: https://www.mygov.scot/browse/birth-death-family
        coverage: Routes bereaved people to current Scottish registration, funeral, support and estate information.
        exclusions: Does not decide cause, investigation, informant status, succession, tax or individual entitlement.
      - <<: *source_defaults
        id: death-bereavement-wales-handoff
        jurisdiction: Wales
        title: Death and bereavement
        owner: UK Government
        authority_role: england_wales_after_death_handoff
        resource: https://www.gov.uk/when-someone-dies
        coverage: Routes people in Wales to current registration, notification, funeral, benefit and estate information.
        exclusions: Does not establish a local registrar route, decide cause, succession, tax or entitlement.
      - <<: *source_defaults
        id: death-bereavement-northern-ireland-handoff
        jurisdiction: Northern Ireland
        title: What to do when someone dies
        owner: Northern Ireland Executive
        authority_role: northern_ireland_after_death_handoff
        resource: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/information-and-services/births-deaths-baby-loss-marriages-and-civil-partnerships/death-and
        coverage: Routes bereaved people to current Northern Ireland registration, funeral, notification, benefit and estate information.
        exclusions: Does not decide cause, investigation, informant status, succession, tax or entitlement.
    families:
      - <<: *family_defaults
        id: obtain-medical-certificate-of-cause-of-death
        title: Obtain a medical certificate of cause of death
        aliases: [MCCD after death, medical cause of death certificate, doctor death certificate]
        description: Follow the responsible medical examiner or practitioner process for certification and use the coroner or procurator-fiscal route when certification is not available.
        situations: [A death needs medical certification before registration unless it enters an investigation route.]
        user_needs: [Understand the certification handoff without the bundle determining cause of death or issuing a document.]
        dependency: registered-medical-practitioner-and-medical-examiner
        source:
          <<: *source_defaults
          id: obtain-medical-certificate-of-cause-of-death-primary
          title: Medical certificate of cause of death guidance
          owner: Department of Health and Social Care
          authority_role: england_wales_mccd_guidance
          resource: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/medical-certificate-of-cause-of-death-mccd-guidance-for-medical-practitioners
          coverage: Provides current England and Wales practitioner guidance for medical cause-of-death certification and referral boundaries.
          exclusions: Does not certify an individual death, apply Scottish or Northern Ireland procedure or replace investigation authorities.
      - <<: *family_defaults
        id: refer-death-to-coroner-or-procurator-fiscal
        title: Refer a death to a coroner or procurator fiscal
        aliases: [death reported to coroner, sudden death investigation, procurator fiscal death referral]
        description: Follow the territorial investigation authority and its instructions when a death cannot proceed through ordinary medical certification and registration.
        situations: [A death is sudden, unexplained, violent or otherwise within a statutory investigation boundary.]
        user_needs: [Keep England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland investigation authorities distinct.]
        source:
          <<: *source_defaults
          id: refer-death-to-coroner-or-procurator-fiscal-primary
          title: When a death is reported to a coroner
          owner: Ministry of Justice
          authority_role: england_wales_coroner_handoff
          resource: https://www.gov.uk/after-a-death/when-a-death-is-reported-to-a-coroner
          coverage: Explains the England and Wales coroner investigation and release handoff after a reportable death.
          exclusions: Does not decide whether a death is reportable, predict an investigation or establish Scottish or Northern Ireland procedure.
      - id: register-a-death
        title: Register a death
        aliases: [death registration, make registrar appointment, obtain death certificate]
        description: Use the jurisdiction-specific registrar route after certification or investigation authority release.
        situations: [An informant needs to register a death with the responsible territorial authority.]
        user_needs: [Find the correct registrar, evidence, timing and certificate route without importing another nation's rule.]
        primary_jurisdictions: [England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland]
        specialist_review: required
        preserve_existing: true
      - id: notify-organisations-after-a-death
        title: Notify organisations after a death
        aliases: [Tell Us Once, tell government about death, close public records after death]
        description: Use the available public notification service and separately contact bodies outside its published scope.
        situations: [A bereaved person needs to tell public authorities and other organisations that someone died.]
        user_needs: [Distinguish Tell Us Once coverage from Northern Ireland and private-organisation notifications.]
        primary_jurisdictions: [England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland]
        specialist_review: required
        preserve_existing: true
      - <<: *family_defaults
        id: arrange-funeral
        title: Arrange a funeral
        aliases: [organise funeral, choose funeral director, funeral costs and wishes]
        description: Confirm release and registration documents, identify wishes and responsibilities and arrange the service, transport, payment and support through suitable providers.
        situations: [A family, executor or other responsible person needs to arrange a funeral after a death.]
        user_needs: [Coordinate public documents and private providers without recommending a funeral or supplier.]
        dependency: funeral-director-or-other-funeral-provider
        source:
          <<: *source_defaults
          id: arrange-funeral-primary
          title: Arrange the funeral
          owner: UK Government
          authority_role: england_wales_funeral_guidance
          resource: https://www.gov.uk/after-a-death/arrange-the-funeral
          coverage: Explains England and Wales sequencing, documents, funeral-director, cost and payment boundaries.
          exclusions: Does not establish Scottish or Northern Ireland procedure, recommend a provider or decide responsibility and payment.
      - <<: *family_defaults
        id: arrange-burial-or-cremation
        title: Arrange burial or cremation
        aliases: [book crematorium, arrange cemetery burial, burial or cremation forms]
        description: Select the lawful burial or cremation route, obtain the required authority and forms and coordinate the cemetery, crematorium or other responsible body.
        situations: [A funeral arrangement requires burial, cremation or another lawful committal route.]
        user_needs: [Find the territorial and local authorization process without choosing the disposition or provider.]
        dependency: cemetery-crematorium-or-burial-authority
        source:
          <<: *source_defaults
          id: arrange-burial-or-cremation-primary
          title: Arrange the funeral
          owner: UK Government
          authority_role: england_wales_burial_cremation_handoff
          resource: https://www.gov.uk/after-a-death/arrange-the-funeral
          coverage: Introduces England and Wales burial, cremation and funeral-document handoffs.
          exclusions: Does not establish local availability, Scottish or Northern Ireland requirements, costs or personal wishes.
      - <<: *family_defaults
        primary_jurisdictions: [England, Scotland, Wales]
        id: claim-bereavement-support
        title: Claim bereavement support
        aliases: [bereavement support payment, help after partner dies, funeral benefit support]
        description: Identify the applicable bereavement benefit or local support route, make the claim with required relationship and contribution information and use challenge steps where needed.
        situations: [A bereaved spouse, civil partner or family needs financial or practical support after a death.]
        user_needs: [Find current support without the bundle deciding relationship, contribution or entitlement.]
        source:
          <<: *source_defaults
          id: claim-bereavement-support-primary
          title: Bereavement Support Payment
          owner: Department for Work and Pensions
          authority_role: great_britain_bereavement_support_payment
          resource: https://www.gov.uk/bereavement-support-payment
          coverage: Explains Great Britain conditions, claim timing, payments and interaction handoffs for Bereavement Support Payment.
          exclusions: Does not cover Northern Ireland, calculate entitlement or decide relationship, contribution or appeal questions.
      - <<: *family_defaults
        id: locate-or-prove-will
        title: Locate or prove a will
        aliases: [find deceased will, search probate will, prove latest valid will]
        description: Search personal, solicitor, storage and probate sources, preserve competing documents and obtain legal advice where validity, interpretation or family rights are disputed.
        situations: [Those dealing with an estate need to establish whether a will exists and which instrument governs.]
        user_needs: [Separate finding a public probate record from legally proving a will.]
        dependency: regulated-probate-or-succession-adviser
        source:
          <<: *source_defaults
          id: locate-or-prove-will-primary
          title: Search probate records for documents and wills
          owner: HM Courts and Tribunals Service
          authority_role: england_wales_probate_record_search
          resource: https://www.gov.uk/search-will-probate
          coverage: Provides the England and Wales public search and document-order route for probate records and wills.
          exclusions: Does not locate every unproved will, establish Scottish or Northern Ireland procedure or decide validity and interpretation.
      - id: administer-an-estate
        title: Administer an estate
        aliases: [probate estate administration, Scottish confirmation, deal with assets after death]
        description: Identify the jurisdiction and authority, value the estate, obtain probate, confirmation or letters where required and administer assets, debts, tax and distribution.
        situations: [An executor, administrator or family needs authority to deal with a deceased person's estate.]
        user_needs: [Keep England and Wales probate, Scottish confirmation and Northern Ireland probate routes distinct.]
        primary_jurisdictions: [England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland]
        specialist_review: required
        preserve_existing: true
      - <<: *family_defaults
        primary_jurisdictions: [England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland]
        id: pay-inheritance-tax
        title: Pay Inheritance Tax
        aliases: [IHT after death, estate tax return, inheritance tax payment]
        description: Value the relevant estate and transfers, determine the reporting and payment route with HMRC and obtain advice before relying on exemptions, reliefs or deadlines.
        situations: [Those administering an estate need to understand whether Inheritance Tax reporting or payment applies.]
        user_needs: [Reach HMRC and professional advice without a tax calculation or deadline decision from the bundle.]
        dependency: regulated-probate-tax-or-accounting-adviser
        source:
          <<: *source_defaults
          id: pay-inheritance-tax-primary
          title: Inheritance Tax
          owner: HM Revenue and Customs
          authority_role: uk_inheritance_tax_guidance
          resource: https://www.gov.uk/inheritance-tax
          coverage: Routes estate representatives to current UK Inheritance Tax thresholds, reporting, payment and relief information.
          exclusions: Does not value an estate, calculate tax, establish succession authority or provide tax advice.
      - <<: *family_defaults
        id: settle-estate-debts
        title: Settle estate debts
        aliases: [debts after someone dies, insolvent estate, pay deceased bills]
        description: Identify estate liabilities and priority, preserve creditor and asset evidence and obtain insolvency or probate advice before payment or distribution where funds may be insufficient.
        situations: [An estate has bills, loans, secured debts, tax or possible liabilities to resolve.]
        user_needs: [Avoid treating relatives as automatically liable or distributing an uncertain estate.]
        dependency: regulated-probate-insolvency-or-debt-adviser
        source:
          <<: *source_defaults
          id: settle-estate-debts-primary
          title: Settling debts and taxes
          owner: HM Courts and Tribunals Service
          authority_role: england_wales_estate_debt_guidance
          resource: https://www.gov.uk/probate-estate/settling-debts-and-taxes
          coverage: Explains England and Wales estate debt, creditor-notice, tax and distribution boundaries.
          exclusions: Does not establish Scottish or Northern Ireland priority rules, determine liability, administer an insolvent estate or give legal advice.
      - <<: *family_defaults
        id: update-property-records-after-death
        title: Update property records after death
        aliases: [change Land Registry after death, remove deceased owner, inherit registered property]
        description: Establish the surviving-owner or estate authority and submit the applicable land-registration evidence and forms after obtaining advice for trusts, disputes or unregistered land.
        situations: [Registered property ownership or contact records need updating after an owner dies.]
        user_needs: [Connect estate authority to the correct land registry without deciding beneficial ownership.]
        dependency: regulated-conveyancer-or-probate-adviser
        source:
          <<: *source_defaults
          id: update-property-records-after-death-primary
          title: Update property records when someone dies
          owner: HM Land Registry
          authority_role: england_wales_property_record_after_death
          resource: https://www.gov.uk/update-property-records-someone-dies
          coverage: Routes England and Wales users through sole-owner and joint-owner registered-property updates after death.
          exclusions: Does not apply Scottish or Northern Ireland land registration, decide ownership, deal with disputes or administer the estate.
      - <<: *family_defaults
        primary_jurisdictions: [England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland]
        id: notify-private-organisations-after-death
        title: Notify private organisations after death
        aliases: [close bank accounts after death, tell utilities someone died, notify insurer landlord employer]
        description: Build a controlled list of banks, insurers, landlords, employers, utilities and subscriptions outside public notification coverage and follow each bereavement route without sharing unnecessary data.
        situations: [A bereaved person or estate representative must notify private organisations and settle or transfer accounts.]
        user_needs: [Distinguish authority to notify from authority to close, transfer, claim or distribute.]
        dependency: banks-insurers-landlords-employers-and-service-providers
        source:
          <<: *source_defaults
          id: notify-private-organisations-after-death-primary
          title: Organisations you need to contact and Tell Us Once
          owner: Cabinet Office
          authority_role: uk_after_death_notification_scope
          resource: https://www.gov.uk/after-a-death/organisations-you-need-to-contact-and-tell-us-once
          coverage: Identifies public notification scope and prompts separate contact with banks, mortgage, pension, insurer and other organisations.
          exclusions: Does not contact organisations, establish estate authority, close accounts or apply Northern Ireland Tell Us Once coverage.
      - <<: *family_defaults
        primary_jurisdictions: [England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland]
        id: arrange-repatriation-after-death
        title: Arrange repatriation after death
        aliases: [bring body home from abroad, death overseas repatriation, return remains to UK]
        description: Contact local authorities, insurer, consular post and qualified funeral providers, obtain destination and transport documents and coordinate registration and funeral routes.
        situations: [A person has died abroad and family are considering local arrangements or repatriation.]
        user_needs: [Coordinate foreign, consular, insurance and UK territorial processes without recommending a provider.]
        dependency: insurer-consular-post-and-qualified-funeral-provider
        source:
          <<: *source_defaults
          id: arrange-repatriation-after-death-primary
          title: What to do when someone dies abroad
          owner: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
          authority_role: uk_death_abroad_handoff
          resource: https://www.gov.uk/after-a-death/death-abroad
          coverage: Routes bereaved people through local registration, consular contact, repatriation and UK notification considerations after a death abroad.
          exclusions: Does not arrange transport, pay costs, establish foreign law or replace insurers, funeral providers and registrars.