If you have just been named executor in England or Wales, the very first thing to do is register the death within 5 days and order several certified copies of the death certificate — then deal with the most urgent practical matters. You do not need to touch probate, tax or the will on day one. The estate is administered in a clear order, and the first days are about paperwork and pressing tasks, not big decisions.

Do I have to register the death myself?

Usually the death is registered by a close relative, but as executor you may be the one arranging it. In England and Wales you register at the local register office, normally within 5 days, and you leave with a death certificate. Order several certified copies at the same time — banks, pension providers and insurers each want to see one, and buying extras now is cheaper than requesting them later. Our step on how to register the death walks through exactly where to go and what to bring, and a separate step covers ordering death certificates and how many to get.

What is the most urgent thing after that?

Before anything else, secure the property and handle time-sensitive matters: make sure a home is locked and insured, care for any pets, cancel or redirect deliveries, and note any bills that cannot simply wait. You are not settling debts yet — you are stopping small problems from becoming big ones. The urgent first matters step lists these so nothing slips through in a stressful week.

Can I notify everyone in one go?

Yes. The Tell Us Once service lets you report a death to most government departments — HMRC, DWP, DVLA, the Passport Office and the local council — in a single step, using a reference given to you at registration. It saves you contacting each one separately. Using Tell Us Once early clears a large block of admin quickly.

When do I start on the will and probate?

Only once the first days are settled. After the urgent matters are handled, the estate is administered phase by phase: find and read the will, confirm you are executor, then list everything owned and owed. From there you value the estate, handle any Inheritance Tax, apply for probate, gather in the assets, pay the debts, and finally share out to the beneficiaries and close everything down. Taking it in that order means you never work out of sequence or miss a step.

How do I keep track of it all?

Keep clear records from the very first day — every certificate ordered, every organisation notified, every bill noted. This becomes the backbone of your final accounts later. Working from a checklist with clear 'done when' points stops you second-guessing whether a task is finished.

If you'd rather not piece this together yourself, our step-by-step plan takes you calmly from registering the death to final distribution, with a done-when check at the end of every step and downloadable Excel worksheets to fill in as you go. You can start with the free first steps on the plan overview and see how it works before you commit.