Stage 1. Obtain a medical certificate of cause of death

When a death occurs at home or in a nursing home, it’s important to contact a GP or an on-call doctor who will certify the death and provide the required paperwork for your loved one to be entrusted into the care of a funeral director.

If a death occurs in a hospital, the hospital’s bereavement team will handle these arrangements. Your loved one is typically held in the hospital mortuary, awaiting collection by the funeral director you choose. In the case of an unexpected death, the local coroner may request a post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death.

Stage 2. Register the death

To officially register the death, you must do so in the country where your loved one passed away. This process involves locating a register office in the area where the death took place and scheduling an appointment. Additionally, you’ll be required to provide specific documents, including the deceased’s passport and birth certificate.

The procedure for registering the death is a simple interview with the registrar, who will require the following information:

• Date and place of birth and death
• Full name of the deceased
• Home address of the deceased
• The marital status of the deceased
• The occupation (if any) of the deceased
• The full name, date of birth, and job of a living or deceased spouse or civil partner
• If the person was still married at the time of death, the date of birth of the husband or wife (including maiden name if the deceased is female) and their occupation

The registrar will issue a green certificate which should be given to us as soon as possible. Copies of the entry of death (death certificate) can be obtained from the registrar and will be required for insurance purpose, probate, bank accounts, private pension scheme, National Savings certificates, Premium Bonds etc. You may wish to purchase extra copies.

Stage 3. Contact you funeral director

You have the option to reach out to your funeral director as soon as you’ve reached the first stage. This allows them to make the necessary preparations to take your loved one into their care. If you haven’t already, it is advisable to get in touch with your funeral director as soon as possible, as they will guide you through the subsequent steps.

When initiating the process of arranging a funeral, it is essential to deliberate on various aspects, including the type of funeral, choice of coffin, travel arrangements, and additional details such as floral arrangements and readings.

Stage 4. Deal with the estate

If your loved one left behind a will, the designated ‘executor’ will manage the estate. In the absence of a will, a family member will be appointed as an ‘administrator’ to handle these matters.

It’s important to notify ‘Tell Us Once‘ of the death within the initial two weeks. They will, in turn, inform relevant authorities and government agencies of your loved one’s passing, alleviating the need for you to individually contact each authority. Additionally, arrangements must be made for managing the deceased’s social media accounts.