Registering A Death
Before we are able to proceed with funeral arrangements for your loved one, it is a legal requirement for their death to be registered. If there is no coroner involvement and the death was expected, the doctor will complete the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death. This may need to be collected (either from the GP surgery or hospital) and taken to the registry office, within the sub-district where the death occurred, within five days. The GP surgery or Hospital may email this document direct to the registry office for you.
Following this, you will be able to make an appointment to register the death. After registration, you will receive two important documents. The first document will be the Registrar’s Certificate for Burial or Cremation; this is the form we need in order to proceed with funeral arrangements. If your loved one passed away in hospital, we will need this document to be able to convey them into our care. The second document you will receive is the Certified Copy Of An Entry which most people refer to as the “Death Certificate“; we advise that you purchase several of these (£11.00 each), as some insurance companies and banks will only accept original documents.
During your appointment, the registrar will ask you the following:
- The date and place of death.
- Their full name (and maiden name if applicable).
- Their place and date of birth.
- Their occupation.
- Their home address.
- If they were in receipt of any pensions or funds.
- Your full name (as the informant).
- The full name and date of birth of a surviving widow or widower (if applicable).
“Tell Us Once”
During your appointment, the registrar will offer the ‘Tell Us Once’ service, which notifies government organisations of the person’s death.
A registrar will explain the Tell Us Once service when you register the death. They will either:
-Complete the Tell Us Once service with you
or
-Give you a unique reference number so you can use the service yourself online or by phone
The registrar will give you a number to call. This includes Relay UK if you cannot hear or speak on the phone. If you’re a British Sign Language (BSL) user, there’s a video relay service if you’re on a computer.
You must use the service within 28 days of getting your unique reference number.
For more information on the “Tell Us Once” service, please follow the link below:
What to do after someone dies: Tell Us Once – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
If you cannot register the death because an inquest is underway, you can still ask a registrar for a unique reference number. You’ll need to get an interim death certificate from the coroner holding the inquest first.
If the death has been reported to the coroner, the time period before you are able to register may be longer, depending on whether a post-mortem or inquest is needed, and different documentation may be required to be able to finalise the funeral arrangements.
