What to do if there is a death.
When a death occurs it is important to make early contact with a Funeral Director either in person or by telephone, who will be able to give advice and guidance.

The following general information may be helpful to you.

Registration
By law a death must be registered. Following the death, a certificate of the cause is usually issued by the attending Doctor. The purpose of this document is to enable the death to be registered - wherever possible by a near relative.

It is necessary for the informant to attend the Register Office in person, normally in the area where the death occurred. In addition to the doctor's certificate of death (and the deceased's medical card if available) the Registrar will require the following information:

  • The date and place of death.
  • The full name and surname (and the maiden surname if the deceased was a woman who had married).
  • The date and place of birth.
  • The occupation (and if the deceased was a married woman or widow the name and occupation of her husband).
  • The deceased's usual address.
  • Whether the deceased was in receipt of a pension or allowance from public funds.
  • If the deceased was married, the date of birth of the surviving widow or widower.

The Registrar will then issue:

  • A green Certificate for Burial or Cremation, which will be required by the Funeral Director in order to arrange either burial or cremation, and to enable the deceased to be removed from Hospital.
  • A white Registration Certificate, which is required if financial assistance is sought from the DSS for the funeral.
  • Certified copies of the Registrar's Entry can be purchased at this time from the Registrar for the settlement of private affairs, e.g. bank, solicitors. insurance, etc.
NB. If it is impossible to register the death as above, arrangements can be made for the certificate and details to be passed through another Register Office in England and Wales. This however may be a complicated and lengthy procedure and should be discussed with a Registrar or Funeral Director.


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