Registering a death
You usually need to register a person’s death within 5 working days. Registration could be delayed if the death is referred to the coroner.
You can start to arrange the funeral during this time.
Who can register a death?
A close family member or relative of the person who has died will usually registers the death.
The death can also be registered by:
- Someone who was present when the death occurred
- An occupant of the house/official from the hospital where the death occurred
- The person making the funeral arrangements
Documents and information needed
There are a number of documents and certain information that you will need to provide to the registrar:
Documents
- Medical certificate of the cause of death (signed by a doctor)
- Birth certificate
- Marriage / civil partnership certificate (if they were married)
- NHS Medical Card (if available)
Information
- The person's full name at time of death
- Any names previously used, including maiden name, if applicable
- The person's date and place of birth (town and county if born in the UK; country if born abroad)
- Their address
- Their occupation
- The full name, date of birth and occupation of a surviving spouse or civil partner if applicable
- Whether they were receiving a state pension or any other state benefit
Where to register a death
It is best to use the register’s office that is local to the person that died.
Find the local register office here
Whilst you can use another office, it may take longer to get the necessary documents and this could delay the funeral arrangements.
Links to our local register offices
What the registrar will issue
The registrar will issue:
- A death certificate
- A Certificate for Burial or Cremation (called the 'green form') for the funeral director
- Form BD8 relating to the DSS and state pension
They will also explain the Government’s ‘Tell Us Once Service’ to you. This service allows you to report a death to most government offices in one go.
You may wish to purchase extra copies of the death certificate to satisfy bank, insurance and pension requirements.