Who to pay first

[1099]

I'm executor for my Dads estate, he died with very little money, but there is some. Is there a priority for who to pay first, for example we know the energy company will have a final bill, water, rent, there may be a need to repay some of his pension payments to the DWP. Then there are bills for clearing the flat, cleaning it to hand it back etc. So how do I prioritise who gets paid.

Im sorry about your Dad

There is an official priority.
this gives a list of how to catagorise each debt, and then what priority to pay them in.

I wouldn't pay to clean the flat if there isn't money to pay the cleaners. House clearance people may empty it for very little if they thing some stuff is worth selling on, then vacuum it and wipe the surfaces before returning the keys.

How much have you done with the estate so far?
Is the estate actually insolvent (I’m assuming it is, since you’re asking)?

You may be better off renouncing your role as executor, and letting one of the creditors step in.

You might not have to repay pension payments. There's an article on MSE suggesting that the DWP may make a request, but not a demand, that repayments are made in the event of a death.
I've seen one of the DWP letters and it's very carefully worded, it doesn't use words like "must".
I know two people who completely ignored the requests for repayment and basically never heard anything from DWP again...
With that in mind if there are limited funds in the estate you may wish to prioritise other companies first.

yup this, my mum was overpaid when she died, they sent a letter asking for it to be repaid but a year down the line they have never chased for it

I did not know that about the DWP, thanks for that little gem.