Nobody wants to leave their family guessing about bank accounts, passwords, funeral wishes or where the important documents are kept. Yet most people put off writing any of it down, because sitting with a blank notebook and the word "death" at the top feels overwhelming. That’s exactly what a good end of life planning workbook solves: it gives you prompts and sections to fill in, so you’re not starting from scratch.
In this guide, we’ve rounded up five of the best workbooks and planners available to UK families, including a couple of free end of life planning workbook pdf downloads you can print and start using tonight. Each one covers the essentials: personal details, finances, property, digital accounts, and your wishes for care and cremation or burial.
We’ll walk through what makes each end of life planning workbook worth using, who it suits best, and where to find it. As a direct cremation provider, we see firsthand how much easier things are for families when this information is already organised, so we’ve focused on options that are genuinely practical rather than just nice to look at.
1. Age UK LifeBook
Age UK’s LifeBook is probably the most widely recommended end of life planning workbook in the UK, and for good reason. It was developed by the charity specifically to help older people and their families keep track of the practical details that get lost when someone dies unexpectedly. You won’t find glossy design here, just a straightforward, well-structured document that takes you section by section through everything an executor or next of kin would need.
What it covers
The LifeBook is organised into clear categories: personal details, financial information, property and possessions, health and legal matters, and your funeral wishes. There’s space to list pension details, insurance policies, mortgage information, and where your will is stored. It also includes a section for passwords and digital accounts, which older versions of similar workbooks often miss entirely.
A workbook only works if someone actually finishes it, and the LifeBook’s short, focused sections make that far more likely.
Who it’s for
This one suits people who want a no-nonsense checklist rather than a reflective, journal-style planner. It’s particularly good for adult children helping an elderly parent get organised, since the language is plain and the format doesn’t assume any prior knowledge of estate planning or funeral procedures.
Price and format
The Age UK LifeBook is free to download as a PDF directly from the Age UK website, and paper copies are sometimes available through local Age UK branches. There’s no paywall or sign-up required, which makes it the easiest starting point if you just want to get something written down today rather than shopping around.
2. Get It Together by Melanie Cullen
Melanie Cullen’s Get It Together takes a broader, more detailed approach than a simple checklist. It’s written by an American estate planning specialist, so a handful of references are US-specific, but the bulk of the content translates well for a UK audience wanting a thorough end of life planning workbook.
What it covers
Beyond the usual finances and funeral wishes, this workbook dedicates whole sections to business interests, pet care instructions, and instructions for digital legacy management, including social media accounts and online subscriptions. It also includes worksheets for organising insurance policies and tracking down scattered paperwork, which suits anyone with a genuinely complicated financial life.
The more assets and accounts you hold, the more a detailed workbook like this one earns its keep.
Who it’s for
Get It Together suits people with more complex estates, small business owners, or anyone who wants a single reference document that goes further than the basics.
Price and format
Available in paperback and as a downloadable digital edition, typically priced between £20 and £30 depending on the retailer. There’s no free version, but the depth of content reflects the higher price.
3. End of Life Planning Workbook: Shit You’ll Need When I’m Gone
Despite the blunt title, this end of life planning workbook takes a genuinely warm, approachable tone that some families find easier to sit down with than a clinical checklist. It’s built for people who want to get the job done without pretending the subject isn’t uncomfortable, using plain language and a bit of dark humour to keep you moving through the sections instead of freezing up.
What it covers
Each chapter walks through a specific area: bank accounts, insurance, property, subscriptions, passwords, and final wishes, with blunt prompts like "where’s the will, actually?" It also includes space for personal messages to loved ones, something many formal workbooks skip entirely.
Sometimes the workbook that actually gets finished is the one that doesn’t feel like homework.
Who it’s for
This suits younger adults, or anyone who finds traditional estate planning language stiff and off-putting. It works well as a house-share or couple’s project, since the tone invites you to fill it in together rather than alone.
Price and format
Sold as a paperback workbook, usually priced around £15 to £20 through major book retailers. No free PDF version exists, so budget for the purchase if this style appeals to you.
4. MassMutual End of Life Planning Workbook and Checklist
MassMutual, a US insurance company, publishes a genuinely useful free end of life planning workbook pdf that’s become popular well beyond America, including with UK families hunting for a no-cost option. It’s a slim, no-frills download rather than a polished book, but the structure is solid and the price tag (nothing) makes it worth a look before you spend money elsewhere.
What it covers
The workbook walks through personal and family information, financial accounts, property, insurance, and funeral preferences in a simple checklist format. It also includes a short section on notifying organisations after a death, which some other workbooks leave out entirely.
A free PDF that actually gets filled in beats an expensive workbook gathering dust on a shelf.
Who it’s for
This suits anyone who wants a quick, printable starting point without buying anything, particularly people who prefer typing straight into a PDF over handwriting into a bound book.
Price and format
Completely free to download from MassMutual’s website as a PDF, with no sign-up required and no UK-specific adjustments needed to make it usable.
5. Clever Fox End of Life Planner A5
Clever Fox makes a range of guided planners, and their end of life planner is a bound, hardcover workbook designed to feel more like a keepsake than a form to fill in. It’s a physical A5 planner, so there’s no free PDF version, but the print quality and layout are noticeably better than most budget workbooks on this list.
What it covers
Sections cover personal details, finances, property, medical wishes, and funeral preferences, alongside extras like a letter to loved ones and a list of people to notify. It also has tabbed dividers and a ribbon bookmark, small touches that make it easier to return to and update over time.
A workbook you enjoy picking up gets updated more often than one you dread opening.
Who it’s for
This suits people who want their end of life planning workbook to double as a keepsake, something worth keeping on a shelf rather than tucked away in a drawer.
Price and format
Sold as a hardcover A5 book through major online retailers, typically priced between £20 and £25.
Choosing the right workbook for your family
Start with what you’ll actually finish. A free PDF like the Age UK LifeBook or MassMutual checklist gets the basics down tonight, while a bound planner like Clever Fox suits someone who wants a keepsake they’ll return to over the years. If your finances or digital accounts are complicated, lean towards Get It Together; if your household prefers plain talk over formal language, the Shit You’ll Need When I’m Gone workbook might be the one that doesn’t end up half-finished in a drawer.
Whichever end of life planning workbook you choose, the goal is the same: fewer questions and less scrambling for the people you leave behind. Once your paperwork is sorted, it’s worth thinking about the practical side of your funeral too. If you’d rather keep things simple and affordable for your family, find out how direct cremation works and see whether it fits your wishes.