Death in the UK
What to do when someone dies
Whilst procedures vary throughout the UK, we will be able to provide some guidance on what steps to take.
Registering a death
In most cases you will need to register the death within five days and it is best to visit the register office in the area in which the person died.
The following people can register a death:
- Any relative of the person who has died
- Any person present at the death
- A person who lives in the house where the person died
- The person arranging the funeral, but not a funeral director.
To register the death you need to have a simple meeting with the registrar at the registery office.
Documents and certification
You will need to give the registrar:
- Certificate of cause of death
- Birth Certificate
- Marriage/Civil Partnership Certificates
At the registery office the registrar will issue you with:
- A Certificate for Burial or Cremation (known as a green form), which you should give to your funeral director as soon as possible
- A Certificate of Registration of Death, which you should fill in and send to the social security office for the area where the person died.
You can buy copies of the Death Certificate from the registrar for a small fee, which varies from region to region. You will need these for official purposes such as closing bank accounts.
Caring for the deceased
After the above is completed the deceased can be taken into the care of a funeral director, they will then rest there until the day of the funeral.
Embalming is normally recommended by the funeral director because it delays the natural processes that take place after death. This is particularly important if you want to visit the person in the chapel of rest.
Telling others about the death
You may want to put an announcement in a local newspaper to tell people about the death and the details of the funeral.
Choosing between cremation or burial
The first choice people usually make is about the type of funeral service that will take place. Whether you choose a burial or a cremation, this is a personal decision and somthing the deceased may have already arranged, the person dealing with the will should check the Will and act as requested.
Supplying information about the deceased
In order to make the funeral arrangements the funeral director will need:
- The full name of the person who has died
- Their full address
- Their date of birth
- Details of where and when they died
- Confirmation of whether the person who has died had a pacemaker fitted. Pacemakers must be removed before the cremation.
Making arrangements for the service
There are many things to consider when making arrangements for a funeral such as:
- Transport
- Flowers
- Music
- Special Requests
The affairs of the deceased
After the funeral there are a number of practical issues that need to be addressed:
Various people will need to be advised, such as:
- Tax office
- Passport office
- Pension provider
- DVLA
- Council house tenancy/rent
- Council tax
- Home and contents insurance provider
- Post Office – redirect mail
- Electricity provider
- Gas provider
- Telephone provider
- TV licence
- Bank account / Building Society account
- Post Office account
- Credit cards
- Premium bonds
Coping with grief
For many people it is only after the funeral that they feel the full extent of the loss of a loved one. There are various leaflets that can be provided by your local funeral director to help you cope with grief.
