When someone dies

We can be contacted by telephone 24 hours of the day.

When someone dies there are often many things to do, often at a time of great personal distress when you feel least able to cope. The burden is reduced when the funeral has been pre-arranged or pre-paid.

Death Occurs at Home

If someone dies at home, the following people should be contacted immediately:

  • The family doctor

  • The nearest relative

  • The Funeral Director

If the death was NOT expected or you think there may be suspicious circumstances, then contact the POLICE immediately and remember not to touch or move anything.

Death Occurs at Hospital or Nursing Home

If the person dies in Hospital or a Nursing Home then they will make any immediate arrangements on your behalf, it is helpful to inform them of your choice of Funeral Director.

How to register a death

After someone dies, a medical examiner will check the cause of death to make sure it’s accurate.

They will be a senior doctor and they will not have been involved in the care of the person who has died.

The medical examiner’s office will then contact you to:

  • explain the cause of death
  • answer any questions you have about this or the healthcare provided to the person before they died

This is voluntary and you do not have to speak to them.

You’ll also be contacted by the medical examiner’s office to confirm you can register the death.

Register the death within 5 days (8 days in Scotland) of being contacted. This includes weekends and bank holidays.

The Registrar will need the following information:

  • The Medical Certificate showing the cause of death
  • The full names of the deceased person (and any other names they once had)
  • The date and place of death
  • The usual address of the deceased
  • Their date and place of birth
  • Their most recent occupation
  • The name, occupation and date of birth of their spouse or civil partner

You should also take these if possible:

  • The deceased person’s medical card or NHS number
  • The deceased person’s birth and marriage or civil partnership certificates, if available.

Arranging a Funeral

We can be contacted 24 hours of the day and once you have contacted us about a death, our dedicated team will guide you through all the funeral arrangements. We do everything on your behalf including the liaison with the Church, Cemetery, Crematorium and Minister. The only part of the arrangements we can not do for you is the death registration.

Once we have discussed your requirements we will write to you confirming all the details of the funeral.

Before making any arrangements, it is best to check the following:

  • If the deceased has left instructions in their will or a letter about their wishes.
  • There may be an organ donor card or a request for their body to be given to Medical Research.
  • Check whether they had paid into a funeral plan to cover all or some of the funeral expenses.

If there is no will, the next of kin should decide what to do. Advice can be given by a member of our team.

Death Abroad

If someone dies abroad, or on a foreign ship or aircraft, you should register the death according to the local regulations of the country, and get a Death Certificate. Also, register the death with the British Console so that a record can be kept in the UK.