Tax help on bereavement, trusts and estates
For bereavement and inheritance tax matters, we set out below some sources of information and support that you might find helpful.
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What to do after someone dies
To find out about more general things you need to do when someone dies, including registering the death, see the guidance on the following government websites:
- GOV.UK – What to do after someone dies
- National Records of Scotland (if the person who has died lived in Scotland)
- nidirect (if the person who has died lived in Northern Ireland).
A broader range of information on bereavement-related matters can also be found on GOV.UK.
If the deceased lived in Scotland, you might find the guide What to do after a death in Scotland helpful, on the Scottish Government website. If you live in Northern Ireland, similar information can be found on nidirect.
Help from HMRC
HMRC’s bereavement helpline can offer practical help.
This is a time when you are likely to feel emotional and you may find it more difficult to ask your questions and to understand the answers you are given. HMRC can offer extra support at this time. HMRC’s extra support team members have more time to spend on a call with you and can help you with tax issues.
Professional advice
If the deceased was on a low income and you are unable to come to an agreement with HMRC, you may qualify for free assistance from Tax Help for Older People, where the deceased was aged over 60, or from TaxAid if the deceased was younger or self-employed.
You can find a tax adviser on the Chartered Institute of Taxation website.
There is also a Society of Trusts and Estates Practitioners (STEP), which has a membership directory that you can search. You can find a solicitor on the website of The Law Society or the Law Society of Scotland or the Law Society of Northern Ireland, as appropriate.
Help from your local authority
Your local authority might be able to direct you to sources of bereavement support. Find out what might be available by using the following websites:
- England or Wales: use the facility on GOV.UK
- Scotland: visit the Scottish Government website
- Northern Ireland: visit nidirect
