If your loved one dies at home:

• You will need to contact the doctor of the deceased and inform them of the death. If the doctor decides that there is no need for a coroner to intervene, he/she will supply you with a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death and will advise you to contact your funeral director.
• Once we have been contacted, we will arrange for the deceased to be taken into our care where we will carry out all of your requests such as dressing, caring for their belongings and arranging viewings if you would like to.
• If the doctor does not agree that the death certificate can be signed or there is an inquest, they will refer to the coroner and a postmortem may need to take place. If this occurs, liaise with the coroner and your funeral director for further information.
• If your loved one has died unexpectedly, you will need to inform the police who will advise as above and they may put the deceased into the care of the coroner

If your loved one dies in hospital:

• Care staff may liaise with the doctor on your behalf and the process remains the same as outlined above.

If your loved one dies in a Hospice or Care Home:

• Care staff may liaise with the doctor on your behalf and the process remains the same as above.

If your loved one dies on holiday or outside of the UK:

• If this occurs, contact us as soon as possible for us to be able to liaise with authorities and ensure a quick transition to be able to bring your loved one back home.

Who do I need to inform?

• The doctor – call the medical practice and inform the staff of the recent death.
• Contact a funeral home/director and begin to arrange the funeral.

What documents do I need?

• A Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (this will be signed by a doctor).
• Once registered, you will be issued with a green form.

How do I register the death?

• The registrar will contact you by phone to make a telephone appointment with you to register the death. Once the registration has taken place, the death certificate will be sent out to you by post.

Who can register the death?

• Usually this responsibility is that of the relatives of the deceased however if there are no relatives, a person who was with the deceased at the time of their death or someone who is arranging the funeral can register the death.

What if the coroner is involved?

• If the coroner is involved, the process may take slightly longer. In this instance, the coroner will provide you with further instruction. They will also provide a notification to the registrar for the registration of the death to proceed.