Losing a loved one is one of the most painful experiences any of us will face. In the days and weeks that follow, the practical tasks can feel overwhelming — and one that many UK families don't anticipate is dealing with their loved one's social media presence.

Facebook is often the most urgent concern. A profile that continues to appear in friends' feeds, send birthday reminders, or surface in memories can cause significant distress. This guide explains exactly how to delete a deceased person's Facebook account in the UK — what documents you'll need, the steps to follow, and what to do if you hit obstacles.

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Your Two Options: Removal or Memorialisation

Before you contact Facebook, it's worth knowing you have two paths available:

Account removal (deletion) — The profile is permanently deleted. All posts, photos, and messages are erased. This is irreversible.

Memorialisation — The profile is converted into a memorial page. The word "Remembering" appears before the person's name, the account cannot be logged into, and close friends or family can still post tributes. Mutual friends can still view the timeline.

Neither option is right or wrong — it depends entirely on your family's wishes. Many families opt for memorialisation initially and later request deletion. Facebook allows you to make this change at any time.

What You'll Need

Facebook requires proof of two things: that the person has died, and that you have the authority to act on their behalf. In practice, this means:

It's worth scanning or photographing these documents before you begin — you'll need to upload them as part of the request form.

How to Request Deletion: Step by Step

1
Find the Facebook profile

Navigate to the deceased person's Facebook profile. Copy the URL from your browser's address bar — it will look something like facebook.com/[name] or facebook.com/profile.php?id=[number]. Keep this to hand.

2
Go to the Special Request form

Facebook's removal form for deceased users is at facebook.com/help/contact/228813257197480. You do not need a Facebook account yourself to submit this form.

3
Select "Remove account"

The form asks whether you'd like to memorialise or remove the account. Select "Remove account" for permanent deletion. You'll then be asked to confirm your relationship to the deceased.

4
Upload your documents

Attach a clear scan or photo of the death certificate. If you're requesting deletion (rather than memorialisation), you'll also need to upload proof of your relationship and, in some cases, proof that you are the executor of the estate.

5
Submit and wait

Facebook typically processes these requests within 7–30 days, though in practice it can take longer. You'll receive an email confirmation once the account has been removed. If you hear nothing after two weeks, it's worth resubmitting.

How to Memorialise Instead

If you'd prefer to preserve the profile as a memorial page, the process is similar but uses a different form. Go to facebook.com/help/contact/651319028315841 and select "Memorialise account." You'll need to provide the profile URL and proof of death, but proof of relationship is not required for memorialisation — any friend or family member can submit this request.

Once memorialised, the profile can be managed by a Legacy Contact — someone the deceased had previously nominated to look after their page. If no Legacy Contact was set up, Meta (Facebook's parent company) will lock the account so it cannot be edited, but friends can still view it and post tributes.

Common Problems and How to Handle Them

Facebook is asking for more documents

This is common, particularly if the relationship between you and the deceased isn't immediately clear from the documents provided. In this case, submit a combination of your own ID, a document showing the deceased's name (such as a utility bill or bank statement), and the document proving your relationship.

The request has been ignored

Facebook processes a very high volume of these requests and they can fall through the cracks. If you haven't heard back within two weeks, resubmit the form with the same documentation. If the account was hacked or is being actively misused, you can also use Facebook's Report a deceased person's account tool, which often receives faster attention.

You can't find the profile

If the deceased had their privacy settings set to "Friends only," you may not be able to find the profile without being logged in to a Facebook account. Try searching from a mutual friend's account, or contact Facebook directly via the Help Centre.

Don't Forget Instagram

Facebook and Instagram are both owned by Meta, but they are treated as entirely separate platforms. Removing your loved one's Facebook account will not affect their Instagram profile. If they had an Instagram account, you'll need to submit a separate request at instagram.com/help/contact/1474899482730688.

The documentation requirements are largely the same as Facebook's.

Need Help? We Can Handle It All For You

The process outlined above works — but it takes time, patience, and repeated follow-up. Many families find that during bereavement, this kind of administrative task is simply too much to take on. That's exactly why Departed Digital exists.

We handle the entire removal or memorialisation process on your behalf — not just for Facebook, but for Instagram, Twitter/X, TikTok, LinkedIn, Google, Apple, and more. You provide the details once, and we manage every form, every document upload, and every follow-up until each account is fully resolved.

Our packages start from £149 for up to four accounts. Most cases are completed within seven to fourteen days.

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