If Death Occurs At Home

1. Telephone the doctor who will visit to confirm that death has taken place.

2. Contact a funeral director.

3. Arrange to collect the doctor's Medical Certificate of Death (usually from the surgery).

4. Take this to the Registrars Office, (together with the deceased's Medical Card and Birth Certificate, if available) for the area in which the death took place. Alternatively you can register by declaration at any convenient Registrars Office but certificates will not be available as these will have to be posted to you a few days later.

5. The Registrar will normally issue a Green coloured certificate for you to give to your funeral director who will look after necessary arrangements for the funeral. The Registrar will also issue a white notification certificate for the DSS. They will also enquire as to the number of Certified Copies you require for dealing with the deceased finances (a fee is payable for each copy).

If The Death Occurs In Hospital

1. Contact a funeral director to inform him his services are required.

2. Collect the certificate from the hospital then follow 4 - 5 as above

Note For Cremation

Your funeral director will usually liaise directly with the surgery regarding the additional certification required.

Bereavement care

Cruse Bereavement Care is here to support you after the death of someone close.

If someone you know has died and you need to talk, call Cruse on 0844 477 9400.

Click here for a useful bereavement self-help leaflet.