When a death occurs...

Though we will co-ordinate all the necessary paperwork to conduct the funeral, there are
also 2 more steps that will be required by you, in the following circumstances:

Hospital Death

The family and the funeral directors are required to request all the necessary paperwork from Bereavement Service within the hospital.

Death at Home, Carehome or Hospice

Once the death has been confirmed we as funeral directors will transfer care of the deceased to our chapel of rest. This transfer can happen at any time, we would then work with the GP surgery to request the necessary paperwork.

Unexpected Death

1 . Obtain the Medical Certificate of the Cause of Death

The last attending doctor will issue a ‘Medical Certificate of the Cause of Death’.

Where it is not possible for a doctor to establish the medical cause of death, it would be necessary to involve the Coroner. The Coroner would usually be involved in the following circumstances:

All sudden and unexplained deaths
Cause of Death unknown
Where the cause of death is unnatural, e.g. suicide, accidents, poisoning
If the death occurred while the patient was undergoing a medical procedure

If the death has been reported to the Coroner, they may decide to hold a post mortem. If the Coroner holds a post mortem the appropriate documentation will be sent to the Registrar of Births and Deaths so that you may complete the Registration.

2. Register the Death

In England, ideally a relative must register the death. To locate the relevant registry office of the area in which the death occurred visit www.gov.uk/register-offices and contact them to make an appointment:

Take the following with you on the day of your appointment.

The Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (unless the coroner decided to hold a post mortem)
The deceased person’s most recent Passport

The registrar will ask you for the following information:

the date and place of death
the full name of the person and their last address
the person’s date and place of birth
the person’s occupation and, in the case of a person who was married or widowed, the full name and occupation of their spouse
if the person was still married, the date of birth of their husband or wife
whether the person was receiving a pension or other social security benefi

We strongly recommend that you contact us immediately, allowing us to understand your individual needs and requirements. This will allow our team to provide a personal service and tailored advice, answering any immediate questions.