How to register a death depends on circumstances, but when a person dies in the UK, most often this is done by a relative at the deceased’s local Registrar’s Office, usually within 5 days of their passing. Here we will guide you through the process.
The death should be registered before arranging the funeral and is usually carried out by a relative. Where no relative is available, the registration can be carried out by any person who was present at the death, a hospital administrator where the person died, or the person accepting responsibility for arranging the funeral.
REGISTERING A DEATH IN THE UK
When someone dies in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, you usually need to register the death within five days. If the person died in Scotland, you have eight days to register the death. Where there is a coroner’s inquest into the cause of death underway you can still ask the registrar for the unique reference number though you will need to get an interim death certificate from the coroner holding the inquest first.
The death should be registered in the area where it occurred, but if you cannot get to a Registrar’s Office in that area, you can register it at one of your choice – this is called Registry by Proxy. The various certificates will then be forwarded to the Registrar where the death occurred. Please bear in mind this will mean a delay in the issuing of the certificates, and the funeral arrangements cannot be finalised until the certificates have been obtained.
INFORMATION THE REGISTRAR NEEDS TO REGISTER THE DEATH
Take your time to collect yourself and gather all the documents and information required, as this will make the process much easier for you. The Registrar will need the following information about the person who has died:
- Full name and any previous names used
- Date and place of death
- Date and place of birth
- Occupation or last occupation if retired
- Last address
- If married, full name, date of birth and occupation of the surviving spouse
- If they were in receipt of any state pension or benefits
They will also need the following documents:
- The Medical Certificate of Cause of Death
- The NHS medical card of the person who has died (if available)
- The Birth certificate of the person who has died
- The Marriage or civil partnership certificate of the person who has died (if applicable)
Ask the register office what to do if you do not have some of the information.
HOW MUCH IT COSTS TO REGISTER A DEATH IN THE UK
Registering the death is free to do, with a copy of the death certificate costing £11. This needs to be paid for by debit or credit card. It is usually a good idea to get a few copies since various organisations may need to see an original copy simultaneously, and often this is done by post.
DOCUMENTS YOU WILL RECEIVE AFTER REGISTERING A DEATH
When you have registered the death you will receive:
- The Death Certificate.
- A Certificate for Burial or Cremation (often referred to as the ‘green form’). This gives permission for burial or an application for cremation.
- A Certificate of Registration of Death (also known as ‘form BD8’). You may need to fill this in and return it if the person was receiving a State Pension or benefits (the form comes with a pre-paid envelope, so you know where to send it).
You can find your local register office here, via the Gov.UK website.
HARRISON FUNERAL HOME WILL HELP YOU
If you have any questions about how to register a death, we will help you.
We understand how overwhelming it can be when you have been recently bereaved and then you are needed to immediately address all of these administrative tasks. Our team is experienced in what to do and we will guide you every step of the way as your funeral directors.
The Planning a Funeral section on this website is also a useful resource that you may like to refer to.
To speak to someone now for help with funeral arrangements, please get in touch.
Harrison Funeral Home
Harrison Funeral Home is here to make a difficult time a little easier. Our experts are specialists in helping bereaved families in Enfield, Winchmore Hill, Highgate and nationally with funeral arrangements.