How to Register a Death in England
Every death in England and Wales should be registered within 5 days, unless the coroner is involved, in which case they will give you further time and advice.
You can contact any register office, but it will be quicker if you use the one in the area where the person died. Find a register office here https://www.gov.uk/register-offices
Who should register the death
A relative should register the death.
If a relative cannot register the death, you can do it if you:
- were there at the time of death
- are the person who found the body
- are the person in charge of the body
- are in charge of making funeral arrangements
What you need to do
The register office will tell you what you need to do when you contact them. You cannot register without the Medical Cause of Death Certificate, which will need to be completed by either their GP or the last doctor who cared for them in their last illness. Depending on where the person died, this may be given to you in person, or it may be sent electronically to the Registrar.
You’ll need to tell the registrar:
- the person’s full name at the time of death
- any names previously used, eg maiden name
- the person’s date and place of birth
- their last address
- their occupation
- the full name, date of birth and occupation of a surviving or late spouse or civil partner
- whether they were getting a State Pension or any other benefits
Documents you’ll get
- a Certificate for Burial or Cremation. This is usually sent straight onto the Funeral Director electronically, so ensure you give them our email address info@perfect-cremation.co.uk
You can buy extra death certificates at the time of registering, which is easier than requesting more at a later date. These will be needed for sorting the person’s affairs. Some organisations will want an original copy, but some will accept a photocopy. These are currently £11 per certificate.
Tell Us Once
Tell Us Once is a service that lets you report a death to most government organisations in one go.
When you register the death the registrar will either:
- complete the Tell Us Once service with you
- give you a unique reference number so you can use the service yourself online or by phone
You must use the service within 28 days of getting your unique reference number.