When someone dies: the first steps
If the death was unexpected, call 000. If it was expected, call the person’s doctor, who will sign a certificate confirming the death; and if they died in a hospital, a hospice or aged care, the staff will arrange the doctor and tell you how long they can care for the person, so there is nothing you need to do straight away.
Please note General information, not legal advice. These steps follow Services Australia’s What to do when someone dies and the NSW Government’s first steps; registering a death is handled by each state’s registry, so check your own state’s page.
Moneysmart’s guide for people who have lost a partner puts it simply: you do not need to do everything at once. Focus on what feels most urgent, and come back to the rest later.
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The first hours
Who to call
- An unexpected death: call 000.
- An expected death: call their doctor, who will sign a certificate confirming the death.
- In a hospital, hospice or aged care: the staff will arrange the doctor and tell you how long they can care for the person.
The NSW Government suggests talking to the healthcare team about next steps, including whether organ or tissue donation is possible. If you aren’t sure of the person’s wishes, Services Australia says you can ask the hospital to check whether they are on the Australian Organ Donor Register.
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The first days
The people, the papers and the plans
- Let family and friends know. You can ask some of them to tell others.
- Find the will and important documents. They can show the person’s final wishes, including whether they wanted a funeral or memorial service, or no service at all.
- Check care arrangements for dependent children, other dependent family members and pets. The will may have instructions.
- Think about time off work: compassionate or bereavement leave.
- Look for any funeral arrangements already made: a prepaid funeral, a grave site, a funeral bond or insurance.
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Arranging the funeral
Taking your time over the choices
The NSW Government suggests thinking about the arrangements and comparing services and prices before you talk to a funeral director. It is not a legal requirement in Australia to have a funeral. If you are having one, Services Australia suggests discussing the plans, the burial or cremation, the cost and the payment with the funeral director.
Prices, quotes and the questions to ask are on choosing a funeral director, and the parts of the bill on what a funeral costs.
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Registering the death
The registry and the death certificate
A death must be registered with the births, deaths and marriages registry in the state or territory, which then issues a death certificate. If you are having a funeral, the funeral director will usually register the death for you.
It can take some time for the certificate to arrive. Once it does, Services Australia suggests making several copies and having them certified by a Justice of the Peace, which you can usually do at a police station or library, then giving a certified copy to each organisation that asks for one.
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Within 28 days
Telling Services Australia
If the person was getting a payment from Services Australia, you need to tell it within 28 days, so they aren’t overpaid. You can call the Older Australians line, submit the Advice of death form, or visit a service centre.
Services Australia also asks Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families to let it know if they will be taking part in traditions in their community, including Sorry Business, so that it can avoid unnecessary phone calls, visits and questions.
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In the weeks after
Telling everyone else
The Australian Death Notification Service is a free government service that lets you tell several organisations at once. When you write to an organisation, Services Australia suggests including:
What to have ready
- the person’s full name, and any other names they went by
- their date of birth, address and date of death
- membership, client or account numbers for bills, banking and utilities
- your own name and contact details, and your relationship to them
Online accounts need closing too: email, cloud storage, social media, payment accounts, and myGov, Medicare or Centrelink accounts. The company may let you view information, download photos people want to keep, and close the account.
If someone has died overseas, contact the nearest Australian embassy, high commission or consulate.
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The months after
The estate
Services Australia says it can take around 12 months for an estate to be finalised, and longer if it is complex or contested. The Australian Taxation Office keeps a checklist of what to do when someone dies. If you get a Centrelink payment and inherit money, it counts as an asset in the assets test and could affect your payment.
Looking after yourself
Services Australia lists confidential counselling that is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Each number below is as shown on the service’s own website:
- Lifeline, 13 11 14, 24/7
- Beyond Blue, 1300 22 4636, any time of day or night
- MensLine Australia, 1300 78 99 78, 24/7
Griefline is on 1300 845 745, weekdays from 10 am to 8 pm AEST/AEDT. Payments that may help, and more support services, are on bereavement payments and support.