Updated on 29 July 2026

Getting tax help after a bereavement

For bereavement and inheritance tax matters, including trusts and estates, we set out below some sources of information and support that you might find helpful.

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What to do after someone dies

To find out about more general things you need to do when someone dies, including registering the death, see the guidance on the following government websites:

GOV.UK – What to do after someone dies
National Records of Scotland (if the person who has died lived in Scotland)
nidirect (if the person who has died lived in Northern Ireland).

A broader range of information on bereavement-related matters can also be found on GOV.UK.

If the deceased lived in Scotland, you might find the guide What to do after a death in Scotland helpful, on the Scottish Government website. If you live in Northern Ireland, similar information can be found on nidirect.

Help from HMRC

HMRC provide practical help by phone, post or through their online webchat and digital assistant services.

Bereavement services – help with income tax and capital gains tax matters after someone has died

You may need help you if you’re dealing with someone’s taxes up to the date of their death or with their estate during the period of administration to report any tax due on the estate’s income and gains. Details of the ways to contact HMRC are set out on GOV.UK. We have summarised the main aspects here.

Webchat: You may be able to use HMRC’s webchat for help with questions about the deceased’s Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and self assessment (tax return) matters up to the date of their death. Access the service by using the link on GOV.UK to check whether your question can be dealt with via the webchat facility.

Phone: Advisors on HMRC’s bereavement and deceased estate helpline can help with the following:

Help if you’re dealing with someone’s taxes up to the date of death, or their estate in the period of administration and no tax return is required.
Help with questions about dealing with the deceased’s estate, or if a tax return is required for the estate’s period of administration.

Post: You can write to HMRC for help with the deceased’s PAYE, self assessment or national insurance matters. You can find the address on GOV.UK.

If sending any official or original documents such as the death certificate, we recommend that you send by a tracked delivery service and retain your proof of posting.

The deceased’s estate may need to be registered under HMRC’s trust registration service to allow a unique tax reference to be issued for the estate. See our guidance on income tax on estate income.

Inheritance tax – help with inheritance tax after someone has died

Depending on the value of the deceased person’s estate, inheritance tax may be payable. Details of the ways to contact HMRC for advice on inheritance tax after a death are set out on GOV.UK. We have summarised the main aspects here.

Digital assistant: You can ask HMRC’s digital assistant general questions about things like valuing an asset in the estate and paying inheritance tax. If you can’t get the help you need you can ask to be transferred to an adviser, as set out in our guidance.

Phone: You can call HMRC’s helpline for advice on inheritance tax after someone has died, for example understanding your responsibilities and the forms that you need to complete.

Post: You can write to HMRC for help with inheritance tax and to send the form IHT400 (inheritance tax account).

If sending any official or original documents such as the death certificate we recommend that you send by a tracked delivery service and retain your proof of posting.

Trusts – help with income tax and capital gains tax for trusts

Our guidance sets out some basic information about various different types of trusts and their tax treatment. Details of the ways to contact HMRC about trust matters are set out on GOV.UK. We have summarised the main aspects here.

Digital assistant: You can ask HMRC’s digital assistant general questions about things like whether a trust or estate needs to be registered, managing a registered trust and tax on trusts.

Phone: Advisors on HMRC’s trust helpline can answer questions about trusts. You may first need to answer some security questions.

Post: You can write to HMRC with questions about trusts.

If sending any official or original documents such as the death certificate we recommend that you send by a tracked delivery service and retain your proof of posting.

This is a time when you are likely to feel emotional and you may find it more difficult to ask your questions and to understand the answers you are given. HMRC can offer extra support at this time should you need it. HMRC’s extra support team members have more time to spend on a call with you and can help you with tax issues.

Professional advice

If the deceased was on a low income and you are struggling to finalise their tax affairs up until their death or are unable to come to an agreement with HMRC about any tax they owed up until their death, you may qualify for free assistance from the charity TaxAid.

Tax debts do not usually pass to family members or beneficiaries. Any tax owed up to the date of death is a debt of the deceased's estate. If there are insufficient assets in the estate to pay the debt, it will normally remain unpaid rather than becoming someone else's responsibility.

You can find a tax adviser on the Chartered Institute of Taxation website.

There is also a Society of Trusts and Estates Practitioners (STEP), which has a membership directory that you can search. You can find a solicitor on the website of The Law Society or the Law Society of Scotland or the Law Society of Northern Ireland, as appropriate.