One in five people fear loved ones could not find their documents if they died
New research commissioned by SafeKeep, the digital life vault, found that 23% of UK adults either disagreed or did not know whether their loved ones could easily locate key documents after their sudden death.
Yonder Consulting surveyed 2,085 UK adults online between 13th and 15th March 2026. The research paints a picture of widespread life admin disorder across Britain.
One in six adults said they had already lost an important document in the past five years. Passports, certificates and insurance paperwork were among those most commonly mislaid.
The same polling found that one in five adults (18%) have paid for subscriptions they forgot to cancel. The problem is acute among younger people. Nearly half of all 18-to-24-year-olds (47%) have paid for forgotten subscriptions – more than twice the national average. Four in ten in that age group (40%) have also already lost an important document, compared with just one in six nationally.
A further one in five adults (21%) do not know where their birth certificate is stored. Six in ten (59%) want the UK to introduce digital birth certificates alongside the traditional paper document. That figure rises to nearly three-quarters among 18-to-34-year-olds.
Nearly half of all adults (47%) said they would prefer to hold secure digital versions of their official documents.
Andrew Byres, founder of SafeKeep, said: "This research reveals a hidden disorder at the heart of British home life. Most of us never think about whether the people we love could find our documents if something happened to us. Many of us are paying for things we have forgotten about. And one in five cannot even locate their own birth certificate.”
Liz Pryor MBE, founder of pre-bereavement charity, Anne Robson Trust, said: "When someone is dying, the people around them are often exhausted, frightened and unsure where to turn. Missing paperwork adds another layer of pressure at an already overwhelming time. Having key documents organised and easy to find is one practical way to reduce that burden and to help families focus on what matters most, being there."
SafeKeep is an AI-powered life vault which gives people one secure place to store, organise and share their most important documents.
From passport details and insurance policies to photos and wills, it brings everything together in one place, with reminders for upcoming expiries and renewals.
It also enables individuals to record and share essential information with trusted persons, supporting not just day-to-day organisation but longer-term planning, including end-of-life arrangements.
Isabel Jones
Higginson Strategy
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