At Home
If the death has occurred at home, you should contact the family doctor immediately.
If the death is expected, he or she will issue a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death which normally has to be collected from the surgery prior to registration. The doctor will also authorise for the chosen funeral director to be contacted to move the deceased to their chapel of rest.
In a Care Home
The procedure for a death occurring in a care home is similar to above, except that the care home should contact the doctor and chosen funeral on behalf of the next of kin.
In Hospital
The hospital should inform the next of kin when the Cause of Death Certificate is available. Again, this is normally collected from the hospital prior to registration. The hospital may also issue what is called a release form, this enables the funeral director to collect the deceased from the hospital. The next of kin should contact the funeral director at their earliest convenience.
In any instance, the funeral director should be contacted as soon as possible and will be able to help and advise you on which steps to take.
Registering the Death
All deaths need to be registered by the Registrar of Births, Marriages and Deaths in the district where the death occurs. This should be done by a near relative, executor or person present when death occurred wherever possible. On most occasions you will need to make an appointment to register the death.
You should take the Cause of Death Certificate, Deceased’s Medical Card, Birth Certificate and Marriage Certificate(if available) with you and you must also be aware of the following information about the deceased:
-
Date and place of birth and death
-
Full name, surname and maiden name (if applicable)
-
Usual address
-
Occupation and spouse’s occupation (if applicable)
-
Date of birth of surviving spouse (if applicable)
-
Details of any pensions or benefits which the deceased was receiving
The Registrar will issue you with the Certificate for Burial or Cremation which is required by the funeral director. They will also issue a form to send to the Department of Work and pensions. You can purchase copies of the Entry of Death (also known as Death Certificate) at this time; original copies will be required to administer the deceased’s estate.
Coroners Cases
In certain circumstances, it is necessary for a death to be referred to the Coroner. In such instances the procedures regarding issuing the Cause of Death Certificate and registering the death will differ.
The Coroner is usually called upon to investigate a death which occurs due to the following:
-
Cause of death is uncertain or the deceased has not been seen by a doctor within the past 14 days
-
The death was caused by violence, neglect, suicide or under suspicious circumstances
-
The death was due to a fall or accident (including road traffic accidents)
-
The death occurred whilst undergoing, or shortly after an operation
-
The death was caused by an industrial disease
-
The death occurred whilst in police custody or prison
It is the duty of the Coroner to try and obtain a cause of death. This is normally done by ordering a post-mortem examination of the deceased. There is sometimes the need to hold an Inquest too. Once the Coroners investigations are complete he will issue the paperwork necessary for the funeral to go ahead. As the procedures and required paperwork vary between cases, you should contact your chosen funeral director as soon as possible. They will liaise with the Coroners Office on your behalf and advise you accordingly.