Initial steps if someone dies in the UK
In the unfortunate event of a death, we are here to guide you through the necessary steps; please do call us if you require any further assistance. Below are the recommended actions to take based on the circumstances of the death.
- Expected death at home: If the death occurred at home and was expected, we advise you to first contact your local health centre or emergency services. Afterwards, please inform Avalon so that we can assist you further. We will coordinate with a funeral director to take charge once a doctor has confirmed the passing and provided you with a medical certificate of the cause of death.
- In a hospital or clinic: If the death occurred in a medical facility, kindly inform the hospital staff about the Avalon plan, and contact us directly. Your communication with us allows us to contact the funeral director and to help guide you appropriately.
- Unexpected or accidental death: In the unfortunate event of an accidental or otherwise unnatural death, you are advised to contact the emergency services who will advise you appropriately. It is likely that a coroner will be required to investigate the cause of death who will provide you with a coroners form. Kindly inform the medical professionals about the Avalon plan, and contact us directly. Once the cause of death is determined, the chosen funeral director will arrange for the transfer of the deceased/loved one to the location of the funeral service.
Next steps
During this challenging time, certain administrative tasks must be completed, and we are here to assist you through each step:
- You will need to register the death at a register office. To register a death in the UK you need to provide the medical certificate or the coroner’s form. It is recommended that you also bring proof of your identify and proof of the deceased identity to the register office.
- The registrar will register the death and issue a certificate for burial or cremation. You give this certificate to the funeral director. The funeral director or Avalon can help to advise you how to contact the register office.
- The next step is to tell the government about the death, which the registrar will advise you how and assist you with. Further guidance can be found at www.gov.uk.
- The next step is to notify the authorities. In the UK, you can use the Government’s “tell us once” service to notify lots of government bodies at once, including HMRC, benefit services, DVLA and passport offices. When you register a death, you will get a unique reference number to use the “tell us once service”.You cannot use the “tell us once” service if the person didn’t die in the UK. In this case you’ll need tell the organisations yourself, here: “What to do after someone dies“.
At Avalon, we extend our deepest condolences and are committed to assisting you in these difficult procedures. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or require further guidance.
Legal services
Preparing a Will or putting Lasting Powers of Attorney in place can help protect your loved ones, consider putting this in place well in advance, as you never know when it might be needed.
Obtaining Probate and completing estate administration can be lengthy and daunting, which might make the idea of hiring a professional firm appealing.
Regardless of your situation you may benefit from a free no obligation consultation with our chosen legal specialists in England and Wales, Forever Legal.
Find out more:
How to enact an Avalon Funeral Plan
Find out more
Help and support for Avalon customers and their loved ones
More information