Help! Where do I start?

CHlHlRO

My mum's just died and I haven't got a clue where to begin, please help!

She was divorced and I'm the only child. I am not sure whether she left a will or not—no local solicitors firms have a record of one but her aunt recalls her mentioning one. I vaguely recall her talking about a life insurance policy that was tied to the mortgage, but she paid that off several years ago.

She's been retired for a while but I believe she had some unsecured debts—overdraft, credit cards and possibly a credit agreement for works to the house but I don't know for sure. I know the rough value of the house but her aunt says it 'needs some work doing'.

I've looked at the guide but I still don't know where to start with it all—all I've done so far is ring her GP and the junk mail service as their number was in the booklet the hospital gave me. I've got no idea how to pay for the funeral, which I haven't even begun to organise—is there a time limit? I know I've got to register the death, that's all in hand (I think!) but beyond that I am utterly clueless about what to do. It doesn't help that her house makes those you see on hoarding programmes look tidy and well-organised! Please can someone just tell me what paperwork I need to look for first, or point me to someone who can, thanks.

Yorkshireman99

The first thing is to read the stickies on this forum. The person who orders the funeral has to pay but can claim from the estate. Alternatively if nobody can pay the hospital is oblisged to pay for it. If you know her bank you should notify them of the death. Plenty of help here if needed. You need to be orgaised and go through the paperwork in the house systematicly.

Geoff1963

Could the solicitor's trade body trace a will ?

Keep_pedalling

I would think the best place to start would be to go through your mother's papers to see if she holds a copy of her will. Most people who go to the trouble of making one keep a copy of it. Also look for for details of bank and savings accounts. If there is any money there the first call on it will be funeral costs, and if there is enough the bank will pay the FD directly.

If you can't find any evidence of a will then you should apply for letters of administration. Although she may have debts she owns a home outright so it is highly unlikely that her estate is insolvent.

chesky

Geoff1963 wrote: »

Could the solicitor's trade body trace a will ?

No ...............

chesky

If your mother used a solicitor when she bought her house, it's possible she used the same one for her will.
But the others are right, you'll just have to sit down and trudge through the paperwork.

CHlHlRO

I will have the chance to search her house for a will today. I am going to try to find bank statements etc, savings books etc to see if she had any money. I can't afford to pay for a funeral then claim the money back—I simply don't have that amount of money at my disposal! I'm hopeful the estate is not insolvent, but until I've seen evidence I don't know the extent of her borrowing, and I feel time pressured to make funeral arrangements.

What happens if I apply for the correct paperwork, deal with everything as per intestacy rules and a will subsequently turns up? I will hunt high and low but it's like hunting for a needle in a stack of needles—her aunt located a bag with unopened letters, years old, mixed with junk mail, old photographs and decades old paperwork relating to the mortgage insurance!

Yorkshireman99

You don't have to find the money now. If all else fails the hospital are obliged to pay for the funeral. It will be a simple one with crenation and the estate can repay in due course.

Mojisola

CHlHlRO wrote: »

I can't afford to pay for a funeral then claim the money back—I simply don't have that amount of money at my disposal!

I feel time pressured to make funeral arrangements.

Don't be pushed into making funeral plans until you have sorted through the finances.

If the estate is insolvent, you will have to refuse to arrange the funeral. If she died in hospital, the NHS will fund it; if she died elsewhere, the council will do it.

If you start the process with a funeral director and sign the paperwork, you will be responsible for paying the bill.

CHlHlRO

Mojisola wrote: »

Don't be pushed into making funeral plans until you have sorted through the finances.

If the estate is insolvent, you will have to refuse to arrange the funeral. If she died in hospital, the NHS will fund it; if she died elsewhere, the council will do it.

If you start the process with a funeral director and sign the paperwork, you will be responsible for paying the bill.

I haven't gotten as far as even approaching FD yet, not until I've had chance to at least assess her finances. Thanks to everyone who has given advice so far. I was put in touch with the Bereavement Advice Centre by CRUSE who were able to answer almost all of my questions—such a weight off my mind! In case anyone in a similar situation is reading this, I highly recommend giving them a call—0800 6349494. They literally walked me through the process of what to do and what the costs are likely to run to. Things are far from sorted, but I feel a lot better about what I need to do to get to that stage now.