The first step
The death should be registered within 5 days of its occurrence and usually at the Registry Office closest to the place of death. The registration should be done by a relative or the executor of the will.
This is the only step you should make in person. Thereafter, we can handle all the funeral arrangements for you.
When you register you will receive a ‘green certificate’ which will enable us to take the deceased into our care.
When a death occurs at home or nursing home
The first contact should be with the deceased’s doctor who, if satisfied with the cause of death, will issue the Medical Certificate of Death. In some cases, you may be asked to collect the certificate from the surgery. In the case of a nursing home death, their staff should liaise with the doctor.
Please contact us when a doctor has been contacted.
When a death occurs in hospital or hospice
Most hospitals and hospices have bereavement or family liaison officers. They will offer you emotional support and practical advice about what to do next. They will tell you where the nearest registry office is, so that you can register the death.
Once you have called us, we will liaise with the hospital or home to make the necessary arrangements for you.
When a death is sudden or unexpected
When someone has died unexpectedly or the doctor is not certain of the cause of death, the Coroner (England and Wales) is in the main automatically involved. If the deceased has not been under a doctor’s care on a regular basis, the emergency doctor, or any police involved,
will inform the relevant Coroner’s office.
Please contact us as soon as possible. We can advise on the procedures involved and liaise with the Coroner’s office.
When someone dies abroad and repatriation
As your UK funeral director, we would work together with you, an overseas funeral director and the British Consulate or Embassy to organise the necessary documentation and transport of the deceased.
Please contact us and we can make all the necessary arrangements.