Do I have to accept being an executor?

No. Nobody can be forced to act as an executor. If you haven't yet started dealing with the estate ('intermeddling'), you can formally renounce the role with a simple document. Any substitute named in the will steps in, or the beneficiaries can apply to administer the estate instead.

Is registering the death my job?

No — registering the death is usually done by a close relative or the person arranging the funeral. As executor you will need certified copies of the death certificate for banks, pension providers and the probate application, but the registration itself is not your responsibility.

Do I always need probate?

Not always. Small estates (banks each set their own thresholds), jointly held assets passing automatically to a survivor, and some pensions can be dealt with without a grant. For most estates over £5,000 a grant is needed, and the application fee is £526 (since 13 July 2026).

Can I be personally liable for mistakes?

Yes — this is the serious side of the role. If you distribute money to beneficiaries before all debts and taxes are settled, or miss a creditor, you can be personally liable for the shortfall. Value everything carefully, settle debts and tax first, keep clear accounts, and don't be rushed by impatient beneficiaries.

Can I pay a professional to do it for me?

Yes. You can instruct a solicitor or probate practitioner to handle some or all of the work, and their fees are legitimately paid from the estate, not your own pocket. Many executors do the admin themselves and pay for help only with the tricky parts, like the inheritance tax forms.

How many executors can act?

Up to four can act together. If you are one of several, you make decisions jointly — which is slower but spreads the load. If a co-executor doesn't want to act, they can decline while you continue.

Named as Executor? What to Do First | SwiftWill

What you've actually been asked to do

Someone trusted you enough to name you in their will — and it is reasonable to feel both honoured and daunted. The role, in one sentence: you turn the will into reality. That means securing and valuing everything they owned, applying for the legal authority to deal with it, paying funeral costs, debts and any inheritance tax, and then distributing what remains exactly as the will directs. Up to four executors can act together, and the full picture is in our guide to what an executor is. One thing to hold onto from the start: it is a position of legal trust, and doing it carefully protects you as much as the beneficiaries.

You are allowed to say no

This surprises people: being named as executor is a request, not a summons. Executors can decline, for any reason — health, distance, family dynamics, or simply not wanting the burden. If you have not yet started acting, you can renounce formally; if a substitute executor is named in the will, they step in, and if not, the main beneficiaries can take on the administration instead. There is no shame in it. A reluctant executor helps no one.

Your first steps if you take it on

Locate the original will and check it for funeral wishes (the funeral itself is normally arranged by the family, not you).
Get certified death certificates — registering the death is the family's job, but you will need copies for almost everything you do next. Our guide to what to do when someone dies covers who does what.
Secure the estate — property, vehicles, valuables, important documents — and notify banks, pension providers and insurers.
List everything: assets and debts, valued as at the date of death. Our executor checklist walks through it in order.

Probate and the money side, in brief

The Grant of Probate is the court document that proves your authority — banks and the Land Registry will ask for it. The application fee is £526 for estates over £5,000 (in force since 13 July 2026), and you can apply online yourself. Very small estates and jointly held assets that pass automatically to a survivor sometimes skip it entirely; our probate guide explains the thresholds.

On tax: inheritance tax is charged at 40% above the £325,000 nil-rate band (with an extra £175,000 residence band where a home passes to direct descendants, and a full exemption for anything passing to a spouse). Debts and tax come before beneficiaries— if you distribute too early and a creditor or HMRC is left short, that shortfall can become your personal problem. Take it steady, keep accounts, and don't let anyone hurry you.

Where to get help — and one thought for yourself

You are not expected to be an expert, and you don't have to do every part alone. You can hand specific tasks — the tax forms, the property sale, the whole thing — to a solicitor or probate practitioner, with their fees paid from the estate.

And one gentle thought. You are now seeing, from the inside, what a difference a clear, properly signed will makes to the people left behind. If your own affairs aren't written down yet, you can fix that in about 15 minutes for £35 one-time, with free updates for life and no upsells — start your will here. Your own executor will thank you for it one day.

You've been named as an executor — what now?