What to Do in Your First Week After a Bereavement

Last updated: 11 April 2026

The first week after losing someone doesn’t follow a script—and yet, there are concrete things you need to do, even when thinking feels impossible. Most people don’t realise that you have a small window of time to make decisions about registration, funeral arrangements, and notifying key people, and the weight of those decisions often falls during the hardest emotional days. If you’ve just lost someone and you’re reading this, I want you to know that what you’re feeling is completely normal, and that getting through this week one step at a time is more than enough. Over the past 15 years serving Washington families from behind the bar at The Teal Farm, I’ve supported grieving people through this exact period—and I’ve learned that knowing what comes next, even roughly, takes some of the fog away. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the key practical steps you need to take during your first week, the emotional reality of grief, and how to ask for help when you need it.

The First 24 Hours: What Actually Needs to Happen

The moment someone dies, there’s a strange collision of urgency and numbness. Your mind is reeling, but suddenly there are phone calls to make. The most important action in the first 24 hours is to arrange for the body to be moved to a place of safety—whether that’s a hospital, funeral home, or your own home if you’ve made that choice. If the death was expected (in hospital or at home with care), the staff or professionals already present will talk you through what happens next. If it was sudden or unexpected, you may need to contact emergency services, and they will guide the process from there.

One of the first calls you should make is to a local funeral director. This isn’t something you need to overthink right now. Funeral directors are trained to support families at this exact moment, and they’ll explain your options without pressure. They’ll collect the person from where they are, arrange for them to be treated with dignity, and become your primary point of contact for most of the decisions ahead. If you’re in Washington or nearby, having a funeral director within 10 minutes of both Birtley and Sunderland crematoriums means there’s no delay.

In the first 24 hours, you don’t need to make decisions about the type of funeral, the date, the music, or the flowers. Those can wait a few days. What you do need is to tell the people closest to you, get the body somewhere safe and dignified, and—if you haven’t already—arrange basic practical support.

Registration and Legal Requirements

Within five days of the death, the death must be registered with your local registry office. This is a legal requirement in the UK, and it’s one of the most important steps because without a registered death, almost nothing else can proceed. Registration within five days is a legal requirement in the UK, and the death certificate issued during registration is required before the funeral can take place and before you can access the person’s finances, property, or benefits.

Someone close to the person who has died—usually a family member or the person present at the time of death—will need to attend the registry office in person with a medical certificate of cause of death (provided by the doctor or hospital). This is the person’s last legal formality, and it’s one that many people find unexpectedly emotional. You don’t have to do it alone. Bring a trusted friend or family member with you if you need to.

Once you’ve registered the death, you’ll receive a death certificate. You’ll need multiple copies—typically 5 to 10 copies is sensible. These are required for:

• The funeral director
• Banks and building societies
• Insurance companies
• Pension providers
• The local council (council tax, benefits)
• Utility companies
• Employers

You can order extra copies when you register, or purchase them later if needed. The registry office can usually provide them same-day or within a few days.

If you’re unsure about anything regarding the cost and process of obtaining a death certificate, the registry office staff are used to supporting confused and grieving people, and they’ll talk you through it step by step.

Arranging the Funeral and Wake

Once the death is registered, your funeral director will help you think through the type of funeral. This is where decisions start to feel real. Are you planning a traditional funeral service? A cremation? A direct cremation in Washington without a service? A celebration of life? You don’t need to decide everything in the first week, but your funeral director will want to know your rough preferences so they can give you a timeline.

Most funerals in the UK happen 7 to 10 days after death, though it can vary. This gives you a few days to make decisions without feeling utterly rushed. The funeral director will coordinate with the crematorium or burial ground, the church or venue, the flowers, the music, and the catering if you’re having a wake.

Planning a wake at a local pub creates a warmer atmosphere than a hotel because it feels like a place where the person actually lived their life. I’ve hosted wakes for Washington families for 15 years, and there’s something deeply comforting about gathering in a space that feels human and real rather than corporate and sterile. If you’re planning a wake, the earlier you book the venue, the better—though at The Teal Farm, we often accommodate at 48 hours notice, which means you don’t need to rush your decision if circumstances are moving quickly.

When thinking about the wake, consider what would have made the person happy. What was their favourite drink? What kind of food did they love? Would they have wanted people laughing and telling stories, or would they have preferred something quieter and more reflective? A good wake venue in Washington will adapt to what your family needs. At The Teal Farm, we pour their favourite drink at the head table before the first guest arrives—a small gesture that makes it feel like they’re still part of the gathering. Buffet packages from £8 per head mean you can feed a large group without the financial stress of the early days, and free parking and step-free access mean everyone can attend comfortably.

Your funeral director and your chosen venue will work together on logistics, but in the first week, you mainly need to have a conversation about what feels right, what your budget is, and what the person would have wanted.

Practical Home and Work Matters

While you’re processing the emotional reality of loss, there are practical matters that won’t wait. If the person was working, their employer needs to be notified—usually by you or by a close family member. Most employers will give you compassionate leave, and they may have information about life insurance or employee benefits that help with funeral costs.

If the person was receiving benefits (state pension, disability benefits, pension credit), these need to be reported to the relevant agencies within a certain timeframe. It’s not urgent in the first 24 hours, but aim to do it within the first week to avoid overpayments that you’ll later have to refund.

The person’s home—whether they lived alone or with family—may need immediate attention. Is the heating on? Are pets being cared for? Is there post piling up? Are there medications in the fridge that need to be disposed of? Again, these are things friends can help with. Asking someone to “come and help sort the house” is a concrete task they can do, and it often helps people feel less helpless.

If the person was a joint homeowner or tenant, or if you suspect they had debts or financial obligations, make a list and share it with a qualified funeral director or solicitor. You don’t need all the answers in the first week, but having a sense of what exists makes the weeks ahead feel less chaotic.

Emotional Wellbeing During the First Week

The practical tasks are important, but they’re not the whole picture. Grief in the first week is often surreal. You might feel numb, then suddenly devastated, then oddly functioning. You might forget what you were doing mid-sentence. You might cry at unexpected moments or not cry at all. All of this is normal. There is no right way to grieve.

In the first week after bereavement, your primary focus should be on surviving each day with support around you, not on making perfect decisions or being strong for everyone else.

Please let people help you. If someone offers to bring meals, say yes. If someone offers to make phone calls, let them. If someone offers to sit with you in silence, accept that too. One of the hardest things about grief is accepting that you’re allowed to be vulnerable, and the first week is when vulnerability is not a weakness—it’s necessary.

If you’re struggling with suicidal thoughts, self-harm, or overwhelming anxiety, reach out to a GP, call the Samaritans at 116 123 (available 24/7), or text SHOUT to 85258 to reach a crisis text service. You don’t have to wait until things feel unbearable.

Key People to Notify

Beyond your immediate circle, certain people and organisations need to know. Make a list if it helps—it’s easier to tick things off than to keep them in your head.

• Employer — your employer and the person’s employer (if they were working)
• GP and hospital — to ensure records are updated
• Banks and building societies — freezing accounts and starting probate processes
• Insurance companies — life insurance, buildings insurance, contents insurance, car insurance
• Utility companies — gas, electricity, water, broadband
• Council — to update council tax and benefits records
• Pension providers — to stop pension payments and explore survivor benefits
• Subscriptions and memberships — gym, streaming services, clubs, professional memberships
• Social networks — family, friends, social media communities

You don’t need to do all of this in the first week. The funeral director and your solicitor (if you’re going to appoint one) can help with the financial and legal notifications. Your family and close friends can help with personal notifications. Focus on the people closest to you in the first few days, and tackle the administrative list over the course of the following weeks.