Telling People about the Death

Telling People about the Death

You will need to tell other people about your relative or friend’s death. This can often be very difficult. You may get very upset and be unsure who to tell and what to say.

Telling other relatives and friends

You may feel that you want to tell people yourself, but this can be tiring and emotional, so don’t feel you have to do it all. You could contact key people and ask them to let other people in their group of family members know. You may find it useful to start by writing a list of people you need or would like to contact and how you want to contact them. Using an address book, mobile phone or social networking site may help you make a list.

You may also find it helpful to think about what you want to say and write it down before you contact people. There is no right or wrong way to tell people, but the following sentence might be a starting point: “I’m sorry to say I have some very sad news (name of person) has been ill for some time/was suddenly taken ill and died earlier today/this week.’’

Telling official agencies and organisations

When someone dies, there are a lot of official agencies and organisations that need to be told. Many of these organisations will need a certified death certificate and other relevant documents – check before attending. Contacting all these organisations can take a lot of time and you may not feel emotionally ready to do this. You don’t have to contact everyone at once. You can ask a relative or friend to help you.

Social Media and Memorialised Accounts

Your relative or friend may have had a Facebook or other social media account. When someone dies, it is possible to convert some of these accounts into a memorialised account. This allows you and other family members and friends to share memories. You can get information about these accounts from most social media websites.