Bereavements - what to do when someone dies

Having the most up-to-date will is important as it states the wishes of the deceased and names the executors. The executors are the people responsible for carrying out these wishes.

If there is no will, the deceased's estate is distributed according to intestacy rules. These rules determine how the estate is divided and shared.

We understand that it may be difficult to pay for the funeral, but if the deceased had funds in their accounts, we can release them to help with costs.

All we need is the original funeral invoice together with the original or a certified copy of the death certificate, if this has not already been sent to us.

You can send these to our Bereavement Centre (Diamond Microfinance Bereavement Centre, Toronto, ON M4S 1Y2, Canada ) and we will send a cheque directly to the funeral director. If you post the invoice to us, we can also make a payment direct into the funeral director's account providing we receive your instruction to do so and the account details are printed on the funeral director's invoice. Please note that any money we release from the deceased's accounts for this purpose is only for the funeral director's bill and will not cover any other expenses.

As well as letting family and friends know about your loss, you'll need to inform organisations such as banks and building societies, utility companies and the Department of Work and Pensions. There are some legal documents, such as passports, driving licences and benefit books, which will need to be found and returned.

The easiest way to inform these organisations and companies is by phone and it's helpful to have an account number or reference number before calling. They'll tell you if they need any documents, such as a certified copy of the death certificate.

If the deceased was a Diamond Microfinance customer, please let us know as soon as possible. Write to us at: Diamond Microfinance Bereavement Centre, Toronto, ON M4S 1Y2 Canada .

You'll need to let us have some paperwork so that we can close or transfer ownership of any accounts.

• A death certificate (either the original or a certified copy)
• Proof of your identification (e.g. a valid passport or driving licence)

If the total value of all accounts held with us in the sole name of the deceased is greater than Dhs50,000 you'll need a bereavement instruction form (for postal notifications only) and a grant of representation.

'Probate' or 'confirmation' refers to the right to manage the affairs of the deceased. For Diamond Microfinance, this is required when the total value of all accounts held with us in the sole name of the deceased is more than Dhs50,000.

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, if there's a will, you'll need to apply for a 'grant of probate'

If there's no will, you'll need to apply for a 'grant of letters of administration‘.

In Scotland, both of the above are referred to as a 'certificate of confirmation‘.

We refer to these as the 'grant of representation', a generic term that covers all of the above.

Our specialist bereavement team is on hand to help you with all of this. .

After someone dies, their estate is shared out according to the instructions given in the will. If there is no will, the intestacy rules must be followed.

If you're the personal representative(s), you can decide whether you want to deal with the estate yourself or appoint a solicitor, bank or specialist probate service to do some or all of the work. You're the personal representative if you're named in the will as executor or, if there's no will, you're the next of kin in accordance with the intestacy rules.

If the estate is small and probate isn't needed, the personal representative may be able to deal with everything within a few weeks. But if probate is required or if the deceased person owned a property, the process may take longer.