How to register a death

WHEN THE DEATH OCCURS AT HOME OR IN A NURSING HOME

  • Call the Emergency Services or the Registered Doctor, if the Doctor attends they may write out the Medical Cause of Death Certificate when He/She visits the House or Nursing Home, or may request you attend the Doctors surgery for this purpose.  If only the Emergency Services are in attendance then they will ask for you to attend the doctors surgery the following day.
  • Call the Funeral Director, they will make the necessary arrangements to collect the deceased. The Funeral Directors will need the following information: Name of deceased, Address,  Age, Registered Doctor, Name and contact phone number for the next of kin.
  • Collect Cause of Death Certificate from Hospital or Doctor when ready (usually the following day).
  • Make appointment at Registrars in the district where the death occurred to register the Death once you have the   Cause of Death Certificate.

WHEN THE DEATH OCCURS IN HOSPITAL

  • Apply to the hospital for the Medical Cause of Death Certificate and not your family doctor.
  • Call the Registrars to make an appointment to register the Death.
  • Call the Funeral Directors to make an appointment to arrange the Funeral.

IF THE CORONER IS TO BE INVOLVED

In cases where the death has been reported to the Coroner the procedure is somewhat different.

  • The Coroner and His/Her officers are working in your interest. No doctor will issue a Medical Cause of Death Certificate. This Will be sent by the Coroner to the Registrar’s Office in the district where the death occurred.  You will be informed by the Coroner when you can make an appointment to register the death.
  • Call the Funeral Directors to make an appointment to arrange the Funeral and tell them the Coroner is involved.

HOW TO REGISTER A DEATH – a death MUST be registered within 5 days

Who can Register

Close Relative of the Deceased

Relative in attendance during last illness

A relative living in the district where death occurred

A person present at death

The person causing the disposal

Documents Required

Medical Cause of Death Certificate

Medical Card if available

Birth Certificate & information regarding date of birth

Marriage Certificate if applicable

Information required to Register

Cause of Death Certificate from Hospital or Doctor

Full name of Deceased (Maiden name if applicable)

Date and Place of Death

Date and Place of Birth

Occupation and home address

If married, full name, occupation and date of birth of surviving spouse

The Registrars will give you:

A Green Certificate – this must be handed to the Funeral Director so that the funeral can take place.

A White Certificate – this is for Social Security purposes.An informant can register a death at a Register office near to where they live however, they will be registering by Declaration.  This means all the information will be taken by the Registrar and then sent onto the Register office in the district of where the person died to be registered in their register.  The Green Certificate will then be issued.  This will obviously take longer to arrange and may delay the arranging of a funeral.

Head Office

21 – 22 Lichfield Street

Walsall

WS1 1TJ

Tel: 01922 638855

Email: info@deanharperfuneraldirectors.co.uk