Practicalities are often the last thing we want to think about when a loved one becomes ill or passes away. Our practical checklists offer guidance on what needs to be done during such difficult times.

Thinking ahead

Ensuring your affairs are in order can help reduce some of the stress and worry that family and friends may experience after you've gone.

• Collect all your important information together - deeds, life insurance documents, employee benefits.
• Write a will.
• Choose a guardian for your children if necessary.
• Record your life story - you might want to record a video, write down some memories or trace your family tree.
• Think about your funeral wishes - write them down and leave with a friend or relative.
• Write a living will to outline the care you want in your final months. Think about where you would like to die and what treatment you would want.
• Think about donation and whether you want to join the NHS Organ Donor Register.

When a loved one dies

There are several things you will need to do following a death - knowing what to do, and when, can help make an incredibly difficult time that little bit easier.

• You might want to consider organ donation.
• Find the documents you need to register the death.
• Register the death.
• Gather relevant documents for arranging a funeral.
• Arrange the funeral and the wake.
• Place a death notice and obituary.
• Find out if there's a will and if so, contact the executor.
• Inform the relevant authorities - such as passport office, employer and utilities.

The government also has a site full of practical advice and useful links about what do after someone dies and how to prepare your own affairs.

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