Arranging the Funeral & Registering the Death

When a death occurs, whether it's in a hospital, care home, the deceased's home or elsewhere in the UK, a doctor must be notified as soon as possible; in hospitals and many care homes, the doctor will automatically be informed.

If the cause of death is clear, the doctor will complete and sign a death certificate. If there is any doubt about the cause of death, the coroner may be informed. If, as a result of this, a post mortem examination is required, the issuing of a death certificate may be delayed.

Every death has to be registered with the local registrar of births and deaths. We will be happy to assist you with this. The person in charge of the funeral, the next of kin or the executor, will normally have to sign a form authorising the transport of the deceased to our premises.

Organising a funeral doesn't have to be a daunting task and we will help you to provide the funeral you think is fitting and appropriate. After consultation with you, we will issue a full written estimate for the cost of the funeral.

Deaths need to be registered within five days in England and Wales. It is necessary for someone who knows about the deceased to go to the office of the registrar of births and deaths in person. This should ideally be in the sub-district in which the death occurred. We will make an appointment for you to see the registrar at the appropriate office.

When registering the death, the informant needs to take the medical certificate of the cause of death and, if possible:

• The deceased's medical card
• Pension book
• The deceased's birth and marriage certificates

You also need to tell the registrar:

• The place and date of birth
• The last (usual) address of the deceased
• The deceased's occupation and the name and occupation of spouse
• The date of birth of the deceased's surviving widow or widower

The registrar will make an entry, which you will be asked to approve and sign. The death certificate is a certified copy of the entry in the register of deaths and you will be able to obtain copies for a small fee.

The death certificate is important, as banks, building societies, insurance companies and pension providers etc., will need it before they are able to release any funds owing to the deceased's estate.

The registrar will also give you a certificate for cremation or burial, known as the 'green form'. This form is important and we will require it as soon as possible after the registration. You will also be given a certificate of registration of death, which is needed for social security purposes. The relevant parts of this certificate need to be completed and sent to your local DSS office.