If you have just been named executor of a will in England and Wales, your first task is to register the death within five days, order several official death certificates, locate the original will and take care of urgent practical matters such as securing the property and stopping ongoing payments. You do not have to do everything at once — the job unfolds in a clear order, and the early steps are the same for almost every estate.
What does an executor actually do?
An executor is the person named in the will to handle the estate. In plain terms, you gather in what the person owned, pay off what they owed, deal with any tax, and share out what is left to the people named in the will. It is an administrative task, not a legal exam — most straightforward estates can be handled by an ordinary person working carefully through each step.
What should I arrange in the first few days?
Start with these, roughly in this order:
- Register the death at a register office, usually within five days. See our free step on how to register the death.
- Order several certified death certificates — banks and other institutions each want their own copy, so ordering four or five at once saves time later.
- Use the Tell Us Once service to notify most government departments in one go.
- Handle the urgent first matters: secure the home, look after any pets, and redirect post.
Do I need to find the will straight away?
Yes. You need the original will, not a photocopy, because that is what proves you are the executor and shows who inherits. Common places to look are a home safe, a filing cabinet, the person's solicitor or their bank. Read it carefully and confirm you are named as executor before you contact institutions on the estate's behalf.
When do I apply for probate?
Not yet. Applying for probate comes later, after you have listed everything the person owned and owed and worked out the value of the estate. Rushing to apply before you have those figures usually means going back and starting again. The right order is: register the death, find the will, build a full picture of the estate, deal with any Inheritance Tax, then apply.
How do I keep track of it all?
The biggest risk for a first-time executor is not difficulty — it is losing track. Keep every certificate, letter and receipt in one place, and write down each institution you contact with the date. A simple running list of assets, debts and who you have notified will save you hours later and protect you if anyone questions your handling of the estate.
If you would rather not piece this together from scattered advice, our step-by-step probate plan sets out every phase in order, with done-when checks so you always know a step is complete, plus fillable worksheets to record assets, debts and contacts as you go.