Find out about Whenn and its creator.
Sarah Giblin founded Whenn to help the UK prepare for the practical side of death in the digital age.
Founder Sarah Giblin Photo credit: Christoph Voy
“In my experience, once you mention this app to someone, they just get it. All those niggling questions - How do I start this conversation with my mum? What do I need to tell my kids? What if they never find my pension? How do I remember which song he wanted for his funeral? - are answered with with Whenn.
I’ve designed it to be a useful tool but, to me, the most important thing is that Whenn gives you an excuse to start the conversation about the practical side of death. You can be aged 19, 42 or 88 years old and use it. If you have a mobile phone contract or a bank account someone will need to know about this one day. Download Whenn, answer the questions, and you’ll find you’ll have finished getting your affairs in order before you know it.
To me, Whenn works best when you sit down together and answer the questions on the same call, on in the same room, with the people who might be responsible for you after death. It could be a parent, a partner, a nephew or niece or your older children.
After my dad died in 2022, I was his executor for the following 18 months. It’s a big job to look after things after someone close to you dies. From experience, I can tell you: you don’t need to share everything. You just need a map of which companies you have contracts with and an idea of their wishes. Whether you’re doing it for the first time, or the fourth, a little preparation goes a long way.”
Sarah Giblin, Whenn founder
Whenn is for noting and sharing practical information about your life - like which car insurance company you have, your wifi provider and whether you have a Paypal account - with next of kin to reference after death.
Whenn makes it simple, and normal, to do a bit of useful death prep for adults of all ages. Answer Whenn’s questions and share your Lists with next of kin.
Born in Scotland, and often found in Manchester and Berlin, Sarah Giblin is a designer of systems and things. She spends her time building things she believes will improve people’s lives without causing problems. She has degrees in political science and law.
Sarah founded her first company, Riut, in 2014. Her design reinvented the backpack making it secure just by putting it on. RiutBag zips face you rather than the person behind you. After her father died in 2022, she paused her backpack company to become his executor and work on Whenn.
She loves to speak about all sorts of topics especially death, law, cities, design, how society ought to be and what we can ethically do to change it.
Sarah Giblin Photo credit: Christoph Voy