What to do when someone dies: a step-by-step guide
When someone dies, it’s never an easy time. We are here to help you take the necessary steps if a loved one dies. This begins with some practical tasks before proceeding with the funeral arrangements.
he first steps depend on whether they died at home, in a care home, in hospital or unexpectedly. You will normally need to have the death confirmed, allow the Medical Examiner process to take place, register the death and choose a funeral director.
You do not need to manage everything at once. AB Walker is here to help families across Berkshire and South Oxfordshire from the first phone call.
On this page…
Someone has died – what do I do now?
This is very likely a distressing time for you, and you may feel overwhelmed. Right now, the first thing you need to do is notify the relevant people. We will be on hand to support and guide you through the process. We’re just a phone call away.
- At home: contact their GP or NHS 111 so the death can be confirmed.
- In a care home: the care home will usually arrange for the death to be confirmed and contact the next of kin.
- In hospital: the hospital team will confirm the death and explain what happens next.
- Suddenly or unexpectedly: call 999 if the death has happened at home and is unexpected. The death may need to be referred to the Coroner.
You can contact AB Walker as soon as the death has been confirmed. You do not need to wait until the death has been registered before speaking to us about the funeral.
What are the circumstances of the death?
Step 1
If the death occurs at home, you’ll need to contact the doctor to come out and confirm the death. This should be the registered GP of your loved one, but if this isn’t possible, call the NHS helpline on 111.Â
If the death is sudden or unexpected, call 999 rather than the GP. The emergency services will explain the next steps and the death may be referred to the Coroner.
Step 2
Once the doctor has come out and confirmed the death, and you have had the opportunity to say your goodbyes, contact a local funeral director (AB Walker Funeral Directors are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, on 0118 957 3650).We can arrange to bring your loved one into our care and explain what will happen next.
The doctor will share the details with the Medical Examiner, an independent senior doctor who was not responsible for treating the person who has died.
If there any questions relating to the cause of death, such as if it is a sudden or unexpected death, they will refer the death to the coroner. Please visit ‘Sudden or Unexpected Death’ for information on the process in this case.
Step 3
You may want to inform family and friends thereafter. Surrounding yourself with a good support network during this time can be helpful.
During this time, we will assist with funeral arrangements and support you with any paperwork and legal procedures.
Step 4
Within a few days of the death, the Medical Examiner’s office will contact you by phone to explain what the cause of death will be recorded as, or if a Coroner referral is required. You will have the opportunity to raise any questions about the cause of death or care received.
Provided a Coroner referral is not required, the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death will be sent to the register office local to the place of death.
Step 5
A Medical Examiner Officer will then call you to let you know that they have sent the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death to the register office. Contact your local register office and make an appointment to register the death. This usually has to be done within 5 days.
Please visit our Registering a Death page for more information on doing this.
Step 6
Start to plan for the funeral. You can begin to make the funeral arrangements before you have registered the death.Â
We are always available to discuss any needs you may have. At this point, you will need to start making decisions about specific details, like flowers, music or obituaries. To make it easier for you, we have created a guide of the aspects you might like to consider as part of planning the funeral.Â
We have also collated a selection of useful information giving practical support to help you know what to do when someone dies. This covers topics such as managing your loved one’s property and letting organisations know they have died.Â
Registering a Death
Find out what you need to do to register a death in the UK, from the necessary documents to the timescale you need to adhere to.
Step 1
When someone dies in a care home, the care home team will normally arrange for the death to be confirmed and notify the next of kin.
The care home will usually contact the appropriate medical professional and will ask which funeral director you would like to use.
Step 2
Once the death has been confirmed and you are ready, the care home can contact AB Walker so that we can bring your loved one into our care.
If you would like to spend some time with them first, simply let the care home know. There is no need to rush.
Step 3
You may want to inform family and friends thereafter. Surrounding yourself with a good support network during this time can be helpful.
During this time, AB Walker can assist with funeral arrangements and support you with any paperwork and legal procedures.
Step 4
Within a few days of the death, the medical information will then be reviewed through the Medical Examiner process before the required documentation is sent to the registration service.
Provided a Coroner referral is not required, the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death will be sent to the register office local to the place of death.
Step 5
A Medical Examiner Officer will then call you to let you know that they have sent the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death to the register office. Contact your local register office and make an appointment to register the death. This usually has to be done within 5 days.
Please visit our Registering a Death page for more information on doing this.
Step 6
Start to plan for the funeral. You can begin to make the funeral arrangements before you have registered the death.Â
We are always available to discuss any needs you may have. At this point, you will need to start making decisions about specific details, such as flowers, music, or obituaries. To make it easier for you, we have created a guide of the aspects you might like to consider as part of planning the funeral.Â
We have also collated a selection of useful information giving practical support to help you know what to do when someone dies. This covers topics such as managing your loved one’s property and letting organisations know they have died.Â
Registering a Death
Find out what you need to do to register a death in the UK, from the necessary documents to the timescale you need to adhere to.
Step 1
If your loved one dies in hospital, the hospital will confirm the death, and its bereavement team will guide you through the medical and registration process. Â
Information about the cause of death will normally be passed to the Medical Examiner for independent review.
The hospital will contact the next of kin unless already present; if this is you, then the circumstances of your loved one’s death should be explained to you.Â
If there are any questions relating to the cause of death, such as if it is sudden or unexpected, the death will be referred to the coroner. Please visit our ‘Sudden or Unexpected Death’ tab for information on the process in this case.
Step 2
Choose a funeral director such as AB Walker, who are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, on 0118 957 3650.Â
Unless the death is being referred to the coroner, we will be able to collect your loved one from the hospital and care for them until the day of the funeral. We will assist you with funeral planning, support you with completing paperwork, and clarify legal procedures.
At this point, you may want to inform family members and close friends. Surrounding yourself with a good support network during this time can be helpful.
Step 3
Within a few days of the death, the Medical Examiner’s office will contact you by phone to explain what the cause of death will be recorded as, or if a Coroner referral is required. You will have the opportunity to raise any questions about the cause of death or care received.
Provided a Coroner referral is not required, the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death will be sent to the register office local to the place of death.
Step 4
The hospital bereavement team will then call you to let you know the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death has been sent to the register office. Contact your local register office and make an appointment to register the death. This usually has to be done within 5 days.
Please visit our Registering a Death page for more information on doing this.
Step 5
Start to plan for the funeral. You can begin to make the funeral arrangements before you have registered the death.
We are always available to discuss any needs you may have. At this point, you will need to start making decisions about specific details, like flowers, music or obituaries. To make it easier for you, we have created a guide of aspects you might like to consider as part of planning the funeral.
We have also collated a selection of useful information giving practical support to help you know what to do when someone dies. This covers topics such as managing your loved one’s property and letting organisations know they have died.
Registering a Death
Find out what you need to do to register a death in the UK, from the necessary documents to the timescale you need to adhere to.
Step 1
A sudden or unexpected death will usually be referred to the Coroner so that the cause of death can be established.
The referral may be made by a doctor, the police, paramedics, the hospital or the Medical Examiner depending on the circumstances.
The Coroner may decide that no further investigation is required or may arrange a post-mortem or inquest.
You can still contact AB Walker and begin talking to us about the funeral while the Coroner is carrying out their enquiries. AB Walker will contact the Coroner to ensure that your loved one can be brought into our care when ready. Once the Coroner has authorised the funeral to take place, we are here to support and guide you during this difficult time.
At this point you may want to inform family members and close friends. Surrounding yourself with a good support network during this time can be helpful.
Step 2
The coroner will contact the next of kin. If the coroner decides that the cause of death is clear then they will notify the doctor, who will issue a medical certificate. The coroner will also issue a certificate to the registrar so that you can register the death.
The coroner could decide that a post-mortem is needed and may decide that an inquest is required. In these circumstances they will arrange for the person who has died to be taken into the coroner’s care.
Step 3
If you feel ready, you can start to plan the funeral. If you have chosen AB Walker as your funeral director, we will support you through this process and discuss any needs you may have.
At this point, you might like to start making decisions about specific details, like flowers, music or obituaries. To make it easier for you, we have created a guide of aspects you might like to consider as part of planning the funeral. However, remember if the coroner has decided a post-mortem is needed or an inquest is required it will not be possible to set a date for the funeral until the coroner has advised that the funeral can take place.
Step 4
The coroner will undertake their investigations, which will include the post-mortem.
Once the post-mortem has been completed and if the coroner decides no further examinations are needed, they will contact the next of kin. They will also register the death on the family’s behalf.
If there is an inquest, the coroner will usually release the body once they have carried out their first enquiries. The Coroner’s Court Support Service is a voluntary organisation that provides independent support to those attending an inquest.
You can only register the death once the cause of death is known; however, the coroner can give you a Coroner’s Certificate of the Fact of Death (known as an interim death certificate) so that you can notify the registrar of the death.
Step 5
If the death happened at home or in a care home, the coroner will contact your chosen funeral director. If the death happened in hospital, you will need to contact your chosen funeral director personally.
The funeral director will collect the person who has died and take them back into their care, ready for the funeral.
At this point, you can set a date for the funeral with the funeral director.
Registering a Death
Find out what you need to do to register a death in the UK, from the necessary documents to the timescale you need to adhere to.
Step 1
If the death occurs at home, you’ll need to contact the doctor to come out and confirm the death. This should be the registered GP of your loved one, but if this isn’t possible, call the NHS helpline on 111.Â
If the death is sudden or unexpected, call 999 rather than the GP. The emergency services will explain the next steps and the death may be referred to the Coroner.
Step 2
Once the doctor has come out and confirmed the death, and you have had the opportunity to say your goodbyes, contact a local funeral director (AB Walker Funeral Directors are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, on 0118 957 3650).We can arrange to bring your loved one into our care and explain what will happen next.
The doctor will share the details with the Medical Examiner, an independent senior doctor who was not responsible for treating the person who has died.
If there any questions relating to the cause of death, such as if it is a sudden or unexpected death, they will refer the death to the coroner. Please visit ‘Sudden or Unexpected Death’ for information on the process in this case.
Step 3
You may want to inform family and friends thereafter. Surrounding yourself with a good support network during this time can be helpful.
During this time, we will assist with funeral arrangements and support you with any paperwork and legal procedures.
Step 4
Within a few days of the death, the Medical Examiner’s office will contact you by phone to explain what the cause of death will be recorded as, or if a Coroner referral is required. You will have the opportunity to raise any questions about the cause of death or care received.
Provided a Coroner referral is not required, the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death will be sent to the register office local to the place of death.
Step 5
A Medical Examiner Officer will then call you to let you know that they have sent the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death to the register office. Contact your local register office and make an appointment to register the death. This usually has to be done within 5 days.
Please visit our Registering a Death page for more information on doing this.
Step 6
Start to plan for the funeral. You can begin to make the funeral arrangements before you have registered the death.Â
We are always available to discuss any needs you may have. At this point, you will need to start making decisions about specific details, like flowers, music or obituaries. To make it easier for you, we have created a guide of the aspects you might like to consider as part of planning the funeral.Â
We have also collated a selection of useful information giving practical support to help you know what to do when someone dies. This covers topics such as managing your loved one’s property and letting organisations know they have died.Â
Registering a Death
Find out what you need to do to register a death in the UK, from the necessary documents to the timescale you need to adhere to.
Step 1
When someone dies in a care home, the care home team will normally arrange for the death to be confirmed and notify the next of kin.
The care home will usually contact the appropriate medical professional and will ask which funeral director you would like to use.
Step 2
Once the death has been confirmed and you are ready, the care home can contact AB Walker so that we can bring your loved one into our care.
If you would like to spend some time with them first, simply let the care home know. There is no need to rush.
Step 3
You may want to inform family and friends thereafter. Surrounding yourself with a good support network during this time can be helpful.
During this time, AB Walker can assist with funeral arrangements and support you with any paperwork and legal procedures.
Step 4
Within a few days of the death, the medical information will then be reviewed through the Medical Examiner process before the required documentation is sent to the registration service.
Provided a Coroner referral is not required, the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death will be sent to the register office local to the place of death.
Step 5
A Medical Examiner Officer will then call you to let you know that they have sent the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death to the register office. Contact your local register office and make an appointment to register the death. This usually has to be done within 5 days.
Please visit our Registering a Death page for more information on doing this.
Step 6
Start to plan for the funeral. You can begin to make the funeral arrangements before you have registered the death.Â
We are always available to discuss any needs you may have. At this point, you will need to start making decisions about specific details, such as flowers, music, or obituaries. To make it easier for you, we have created a guide of the aspects you might like to consider as part of planning the funeral.Â
We have also collated a selection of useful information giving practical support to help you know what to do when someone dies. This covers topics such as managing your loved one’s property and letting organisations know they have died.Â
Registering a Death
Find out what you need to do to register a death in the UK, from the necessary documents to the timescale you need to adhere to.
Step 1
If your loved one dies in hospital, the hospital will confirm the death, and its bereavement team will guide you through the medical and registration process. Â
Information about the cause of death will normally be passed to the Medical Examiner for independent review.
The hospital will contact the next of kin unless already present; if this is you, then the circumstances of your loved one’s death should be explained to you.Â
If there are any questions relating to the cause of death, such as if it is sudden or unexpected, the death will be referred to the coroner. Please visit our ‘Sudden or Unexpected Death’ tab for information on the process in this case.
Step 2
Choose a funeral director such as AB Walker, who are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, on 0118 957 3650.Â
Unless the death is being referred to the coroner, we will be able to collect your loved one from the hospital and care for them until the day of the funeral. We will assist you with funeral planning, support you with completing paperwork, and clarify legal procedures.
At this point, you may want to inform family members and close friends. Surrounding yourself with a good support network during this time can be helpful.
Step 3
Within a few days of the death, the Medical Examiner’s office will contact you by phone to explain what the cause of death will be recorded as, or if a Coroner referral is required. You will have the opportunity to raise any questions about the cause of death or care received.
Provided a Coroner referral is not required, the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death will be sent to the register office local to the place of death.
Step 4
The hospital bereavement team will then call you to let you know the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death has been sent to the register office. Contact your local register office and make an appointment to register the death. This usually has to be done within 5 days.
Please visit our Registering a Death page for more information on doing this.
Step 5
Start to plan for the funeral. You can begin to make the funeral arrangements before you have registered the death.
We are always available to discuss any needs you may have. At this point, you will need to start making decisions about specific details, like flowers, music or obituaries. To make it easier for you, we have created a guide of aspects you might like to consider as part of planning the funeral.
We have also collated a selection of useful information giving practical support to help you know what to do when someone dies. This covers topics such as managing your loved one’s property and letting organisations know they have died.
Registering a Death
Find out what you need to do to register a death in the UK, from the necessary documents to the timescale you need to adhere to.
Step 1
A sudden or unexpected death will usually be referred to the Coroner so that the cause of death can be established.
The referral may be made by a doctor, the police, paramedics, the hospital or the Medical Examiner depending on the circumstances.
The Coroner may decide that no further investigation is required or may arrange a post-mortem or inquest.
You can still contact AB Walker and begin talking to us about the funeral while the Coroner is carrying out their enquiries. AB Walker will contact the Coroner to ensure that your loved one can be brought into our care when ready. Once the Coroner has authorised the funeral to take place, we are here to support and guide you during this difficult time.
At this point you may want to inform family members and close friends. Surrounding yourself with a good support network during this time can be helpful.
Step 2
The coroner will contact the next of kin. If the coroner decides that the cause of death is clear then they will notify the doctor, who will issue a medical certificate. The coroner will also issue a certificate to the registrar so that you can register the death.
The coroner could decide that a post-mortem is needed and may decide that an inquest is required. In these circumstances they will arrange for the person who has died to be taken into the coroner’s care.
Step 3
If you feel ready, you can start to plan the funeral. If you have chosen AB Walker as your funeral director, we will support you through this process and discuss any needs you may have.
At this point, you might like to start making decisions about specific details, like flowers, music or obituaries. To make it easier for you, we have created a guide of aspects you might like to consider as part of planning the funeral. However, remember if the coroner has decided a post-mortem is needed or an inquest is required it will not be possible to set a date for the funeral until the coroner has advised that the funeral can take place.
Step 4
The coroner will undertake their investigations, which will include the post-mortem.
Once the post-mortem has been completed and if the coroner decides no further examinations are needed, they will contact the next of kin. They will also register the death on the family’s behalf.
If there is an inquest, the coroner will usually release the body once they have carried out their first enquiries. The Coroner’s Court Support Service is a voluntary organisation that provides independent support to those attending an inquest.
You can only register the death once the cause of death is known; however, the coroner can give you a Coroner’s Certificate of the Fact of Death (known as an interim death certificate) so that you can notify the registrar of the death.
Step 5
If the death happened at home or in a care home, the coroner will contact your chosen funeral director. If the death happened in hospital, you will need to contact your chosen funeral director personally.
The funeral director will collect the person who has died and take them back into their care, ready for the funeral.
At this point, you can set a date for the funeral with the funeral director.
Registering a Death
Find out what you need to do to register a death in the UK, from the necessary documents to the timescale you need to adhere to.
Death occurred overseas
If the death occurred overseas, you first need to tell the relevant authority. They will let you know what you need to do next. If you are with the person who has died, contact the British Embassy
If you are in the UK, then contact the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, which has country-specific information available online.
How do I register a death?
A death in England and Wales normally needs to be registered within five days of the registrar receiving the required medical documentation.
The Medical Examiner’s office, hospital bereavement team or Coroner will normally tell you when the documents have been sent.
You should register the death with the registration service for the area where the person died, rather than where they lived or where their funeral director is based.
You can read our full guide to registering a death for details of who can register the death, the information you will need and what happens during the appointment.
You can also use the GOV.UK register office finder if you are unsure which registration service to contact.
Where do I register a death near me?
AB Walker has nine branches across Berkshire and South Oxfordshire. The correct registration service depends on where the death took place.
Reading
If the person died within Reading Borough, register the death through Reading Registration Service.
Register a death with Reading Borough Council
Contact our Reading funeral directors for local help and advice.
Caversham
Deaths in Caversham are normally registered through Reading Registration Service.
Register a death with Reading Borough Council
Contact our Caversham funeral directors for local help and advice.
Tilehurst
Tilehurst crosses local authority boundaries. If the death occurred within Reading Borough, use Reading Registration Service. If it occurred within West Berkshire, use West Berkshire Registration Service.
Reading Borough Council death registration
West Berkshire death registration
Contact our Tilehurst funeral directors for local help and advice.
Woodley
Deaths in Woodley are normally registered through Wokingham Borough Council.
Wokingham births, deaths and ceremonies
Contact our Woodley funeral directors for local help and advice.
Wokingham
Deaths within Wokingham Borough are registered through Wokingham Registration Service.
Wokingham births, deaths and ceremonies
Contact our Wokingham funeral directors for local help and advice.
Bracknell
Deaths within Bracknell Forest are normally registered through Bracknell Forest Registration Service.
Register a death with Bracknell Forest Council
Contact our Bracknell funeral directors for local help and advice.
Maidenhead
Deaths in Maidenhead and elsewhere within the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead are normally registered through the Royal Borough’s registration service.
Contact our Maidenhead funeral directors for local help and advice.
Thatcham
Deaths in Thatcham and elsewhere in West Berkshire are normally registered through West Berkshire Registration Service.
Register a death with West Berkshire Council
Contact our Thatcham funeral directors for local help and advice.
Henley-on-Thames
Deaths in Henley-on-Thames and elsewhere in Oxfordshire are normally registered through Oxfordshire Registration Service.
Register a death with Oxfordshire County Council
Contact our Henley-on-Thames funeral directors for local help and advice.
When should I contact a funeral director?
You can contact a funeral director as soon as the death has been confirmed.
You do not normally need to wait until the death has been registered before talking to us or beginning to make funeral arrangements.
AB Walker works with you to create the right funeral for your loved one. Whether you choose a traditional or modern service, one without ceremony or a bespoke, specialist service, your needs are met with care, compassion, and professionalism.
Our team will guide you through arranging a funeral at your own pace.
How long after death is a funeral in the UK?
There is no fixed legal period between a death and a funeral in the UK.
Many funerals take place within a few weeks, but the timing depends on factors including the Medical Examiner or Coroner process, crematorium or cemetery availability, religious requirements and the family’s wishes.
If the Coroner is involved, you may need to wait for permission before confirming the funeral date.
Our team will explain what is happening and help you arrange the funeral when the time is right.
What happens after the death has been registered?
Once the death has been registered, you can continue making the funeral arrangements and begin dealing with other practical matters.
- notifying government departments using the Tell Us Once service
- contacting banks, pension providers and insurers
- dealing with the person’s property
- informing employers and other organisations
- arranging the funeral
- deciding whether you would like donations or flowers
- thinking about memorials and what will happen to the ashes following a cremation
Our practical support after someone dies section provides further guidance.
You can also find information about the Government’s Tell Us Once service.
Frequently asked questions
What is the first thing I should do when someone dies at home?
If the death was expected, contact the person’s GP so the death can be confirmed. If the GP is unavailable, call NHS 111. If the death is sudden or unexpected, call 999.
Do I need to register a death before contacting a funeral director?
No. You can contact AB Walker once the death has been confirmed and begin discussing the funeral before the death is registered.
How long do I have to register a death?
A death will normally need to be registered within five days of the registrar receiving the required medical documentation, unless the Coroner is involved.
Where do I register a death?
You normally register the death with the registration service responsible for the area in which the person died.
Can I arrange a funeral before registering the death?
Yes. You can normally start making funeral arrangements before registration is complete, although some circumstances, particularly a Coroner investigation, may affect when the funeral can take place.
Who sends the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death to the registrar?
The Medical Certificate of Cause of Death is normally sent electronically to the registration service following the Medical Examiner process. Families do not usually need to collect and deliver it themselves.
Find your nearest branch
Local branches in Bracknell, Caversham, Henley-on-Thames, Maidenhead, Reading, Thatcham, Tilehurst, Wokingham and Woodley.
Your nearest branch is
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To speak to a member of our team call us on 0118 957 3650.
Has a loved one passed away?
You can call us 24 hours a day, seven days a week on 0118 957 3650.