The common perception of what happens when a loved one dies is that the funeral has to be arranged and a solicitor contacted to distribute the estate. Whilst these are certainly two of the morbid tasks that need be undertaken, they are by no means the only two. The death and ensuing responsibilities are difficult and stressful enough for those living at home but would you know what to do if your partner died whilst you where an expatriate?

In the unfortunate event of the death of a British expatriate, the death may be registered at the British Embassy. The details of the death will be entered in a British death register, and a British death certificate will be issued.

If the next-of-kin wishes for the remains to be repatriated to the UK for burial or cremation, the death must be registered with the Embassy. To apply for the death to be registered, the local death certificate and the deceased's original passport must be produced. Upon payment of the appropriate fee in cash, a UK death certificate, and a letter of no objection to the remains being transferred to the UK, will be issued.
 
The British Embassy in Abu Dhabi handles the registration of deaths occurring in Abu Dhabi.  The British Embassy in Dubai handles the registration of deaths occurring in Dubai or the Northern Emirates. Likewise, the Embassies in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar will handle the registration for expatriates resident in those countries.

If the deceased has a Will, ensure you know with which solicitor it is held, or if the deceased kept the Will themselves, ensure you take it back to the UK with you. Upon repatriation, contact the solicitor who holds the Will or approach a solicitor near to home – ideally one who knows the family and knew the deceased.

It is at this time you should also begin to plan the funeral arrangements. Normally, the funeral can take place within 10 days of the death so the following can take place after the funeral:

1. If the deceased was receiving a state pension, inform the UK’s Department of Social Security. The local social security office provides

   a leaflet entitled ‘What to do after a death’.

2. Inform the tax office about your change in circumstances. You can download a leaflet, ‘What to do about tax when someone dies’ from the

    internet at www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk.

3. Inform your partners personal or works pension scheme and insurance company and check whether you are eligible for an income

   or one-off payment.

4. With a reputable independent financial adviser, check your partner’s investments. Some companies allow widowed spouses to

   continue the investment. Should you not wish to continue the investment, the advisor will be able to assist you with contacting the

   investment provider and completing the encashment documents. The solicitor should be informed of any investments as these all form

   part of the deceased’s estate.

5. Inform the banks and building societies – the accounts will have to be closed and any savings will also form part of the deceased’s

   estate. As such, the solicitor will need to be informed of what accounts were held and there value.

6. Make a new Will. If you left some or all of your estate to the deceased, your Will shall need to be revised accordingly.

7. Return the deceased’s passport to the Passport Office.