What To Do When Someone Dies
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.
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.
The initial steps you need to take will vary depending on where the death occurred, We’ll walk you through it.
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.
If the death occurs in a care home, the care home will contact the next of kin if they’re not already present. Usually, they will also contact the GP to come out to confirm the death.
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 will arrange to collect and care for your loved one until the day of the funeral.
The doctor will share the details with the Medical Examiner, an independent senior Doctor.
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. Call 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.
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.
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
If your loved one dies in hospital, the attending physician will confirm the death. They will share the details with the medical examiner to 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.
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.
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. Call 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
In the case of an unexpected or sudden death, the first step is for a medical professional to confirm the death.
The relevant authority will refer the death to the coroner – that could be the doctor, the police, the paramedics, the hospital or the medical examiner, depending on the circumstances.
If the death is at home or in a care home, you will also need to choose a local funeral director. Contact them to come and take your loved one into their care. Let the relevant person know (police, doctor or medical examiner) which funeral director you have chosen and they will share this with the coroner.
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.
If the death occurs in a care home, the care home will contact the next of kin if they’re not already present. Usually, they will also contact the GP to come out to confirm the death.
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 will arrange to collect and care for your loved one until the day of the funeral.
The doctor will share the details with the Medical Examiner, an independent senior Doctor.
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. Call 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.
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.
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
If your loved one dies in hospital, the attending physician will confirm the death. They will share the details with the medical examiner to 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.
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.
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. Call 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
In the case of an unexpected or sudden death, the first step is for a medical professional to confirm the death.
The relevant authority will refer the death to the coroner – that could be the doctor, the police, the paramedics, the hospital or the medical examiner, depending on the circumstances.
If the death is at home or in a care home, you will also need to choose a local funeral director. Contact them to come and take your loved one into their care. Let the relevant person know (police, doctor or medical examiner) which funeral director you have chosen and they will share this with the coroner.
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.
Arranging a funeral
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.
Find your nearest branch
Local branches in Bracknell, Caversham, Henley-on-Thames, Maidenhead, Reading, Thatcham, Tilehurst, Wokingham and Woodley.
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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.