EFTERLEVANDEGUIDEN - a collaboration between public authorities intended to make it easier for those who have lost a loved one

Efterlevandeguiden.se

inform people of the death

It may sound obvious, but it is important that you inform the immediate family, heirs, neighbours and other friends and relatives about the death as soon as possible. Social media accounts can be closed or left as memorialised accounts. While government agencies and insurance companies are automatically informed of the death, other companies will not know, meaning that bills may continue to arrive.

Notify the immediate family of the death without delay

It is important that you notify others about the death as quickly as possible. Close friends and relatives are of greatest importance. All of those named in the släktutredning, the report of surviving current and former spouses and children of the deceased that accompanies the death certificate, must be informed of the death. You will also need to inform other people, such as relatives, friends, colleagues and neighbours. If this feels like too great a burden, you should ask someone to help you.

You can order the death certificate yourself, or ask your funeral director to help you (in Swedish)  External link.

Inform the deceased’s friends, family and acquaintances

This may sound obvious, but it is important that you inform others of the death as soon as possible.

  1. Immediate family
  2. Relatives
  3. Friends
  4. The deceased’s employer and colleagues
  5. Fellow members of clubs or associations
  6. Neighbours
  7. Email contacts

Don’t hesitate to ask others to help you to inform people about the death. Using the Survivor’s Guide Checklist, you can make lists to divide responsibility.

Efterlevandeguiden Checklist (in English)

Efterlevandeguiden Checklist in PDF (in English) Pdf, 257.6 kB.

An adjustable Checklist according to date of death (in Swedish)

Some are already aware of the death

Government agencies and municipalities are automatically informed of the death when a doctor submits a death certificate to the population register. If the death occurs in another country, you will need to contact the Swedish Embassy in the country in which the death occurred.

Contact the companies that send bills after the death.

Some of the bills that arrive in the deceased’s name do not need to be paid immediately. Instead, you should contact the company that sent the bill and inform them of the death. The funds in the estate should primarily be used to pay for the funeral and, where necessary, to engage someone to deal with the estate inventory.

Social media when someone dies

Information about deaths may spread quickly on social media. You can close the deceased’s accounts on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Consider whether you want to close the accounts or leave them up. You can also leave certain social media accounts as memorialised accounts. You will need a death certificate from the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket). There is no need to do this yourself, it is quite OK to ask someone else to help.

In English:

Facebook account External link.

Google and YouTube accounts External link.

Instagram account External link.

LinkedIn profile External link.

X (Twitter) account External link.

Cancel or transfer subscriptions

Subscriptions in the deceased’s name should be cancelled or transferred to someone else. This also applies to agreements for electricity, refuse collection, TV and streaming services, telephony and home insurance. You should also review any memberships.

Ask others to help you

Do not hesitate to ask for help with what feels difficult and to receive help if you are offered.

Last updated: 2024-09-06