When someone dies there are many decisions and arrangements to be made, often at a time of personal distress.

Firstly the death must be registered by the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages for the sub-district in which the death occurred. You can find the address in the phone book or from the doctor, local council, post office or police station.

Go to the Registrar as soon as possible. THE DEATH MUST BE REGISTERED WITHIN 5 DAYS (unless the Registrar says this period may be extended).

If the death has been reported to the coroner you cannot register it until the coroner’s investigations are finished.

It is a criminal offence not to register a death.

When you go to the Registrar remember to take:

• The Medical Certificate of the cause of death
• Birth and medical certificates, if available
• Medical card, if possible

The Registrar will need to know:

• date and place of death
• the deceased’s first names and surname (including maiden name, if appropriate)
• the last (usual) address
• date and place of birth
• occupation
• name of spouse, date of birth and occupation
• whether the deceased was in receipt of a pension or other social security benefits.

The Registrar will issue

• A Certificate for the Burial or Cremation. This gives permission for burial or cremation and should be given to the funeral director so that the funeral can be held.
• A Certificate of Registration of Death. This is for social security purposes only, to be sent to the Department of Works and Pensions.
• A Death Certificate. This is a certified copy of the entry in the death register. You can pay for extra copies of the certificate - you will need them for the probate, bank, insurance and pension claims etc. If you make subsequent requests for copies it will cost you more.

The Funeral

Do not make arrangements for the funeral until you are sure the death does not have to be reported to the Coroner – this will determine the date when the funeral can be held.

Find out if there is a will and whether there is any expression in it about the funeral arrangements. However, the executor is not bound to follow the instructions left in a will in relation to burial or cremation.

Whoever arranges a funeral is responsible for paying the bill. Funerals can be expensive so it is important to know where the money is coming from.

If there is to be a service contact the appropriate person for the religion or belief. If you are not sure the funeral director should be able to help. The British Humanist Association can give advice on a non-religious ceremony.

The Will

It is important to find out if there is a will. The person who deals with everything owned by the deceased is referred to as the Personal Representative or Executor

A will stipulates what should happen to the deceased’s money, property and possessions. The personal representative is responsible for paying all debts, taxes and expenses, including the funeral expenses. These payments are made from the estate, not their own income or savings.

Funeral costs will normally be met by money left by the deceased. The funeral should be paid for before any other bills or debts. Even if a bank account has been frozen following the death it may be possible to have funds released to pay for the funeral on production of the death certificate.

If you are the personal representative you may have to apply to ‘prove the will’ or, if there is no will, apply for ‘letters of administration’. These will give you permission to pay bills and deal with the estate. The Probate Helpline can offer advice on Probate and Inheritance Tax matters.

When these duties are finished the personal representative can share out the remainder of the estate, according to the wishes of the deceased.

If there is not a will the personal representative distributes anything left of the estate, sharing out the estate according to the rules that consider the rights of a surviving spouse, children, parents and other close blood relatives. For details contact the Probate Registry www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk.

Who needs to be informed about the death?

• the Department of Works and Pensions
• H.M.Revenue and Customs
• employer
• banks, building societies and insurance companies
• the family doctor and any hospital the person was attending
• gas, electricity and phone suppliers

What needs to be returned?

• passport to the UK Passport Agency
• driving licence to the DVLA
• payment orders or social security payments to the Dept. of Works and Pensions
• membership cards for clubs and societies, library cards and books.
• equipment on lone from hospitals or social services etc.

Redirection of Mail

The personal representative can arrange for the local post office to redirect the mail of the person who has died.

Further information from:

The National Association of Funeral Directors

• Address:
  618 Warwick Road,
  Solihull,
  W Midlands. B91 1AA.
• Tel: 0845 230 1343
• Website: www.nafd.org.uk

British Humanist Association

• Address:
  1 Gower Street,
  London. WC1E 6HD.
• Tel: 020 7079 3580
• Website: www.humanism.org.uk

The NHS Organ Donor Register

• Address:
  UK Transplant,
  Communications Directorate,
  Fox Den Road,
  Stoke Gifford,
  Bristol. BS34 8RR
• Tel: 0845 60 60 400
• Website: www.uktransplant.org.uk

The Probate Helpline

• Address:
  IR Capital Taxes,
  Ferrers House,
  PO Box 38,
  Castle Meadow Road,
  Nottingham. NG2 1BB.
• Tel: 0845 30 20 900
• Website: www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk

Department of Works and Pensions

Local Jobcentre Plus, Jobcentre or social security office or for more details:

• Website: www.dwp.gov.uk