Registering a Death
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When someone dies, one of the first practical things you need to do is to register the death. Once you have, you will be given the paperwork you will need to arrange the funeral, notify government departments and settle the estate. Registering a death in the UK is quite simple.
How long do you have to register a death?
When a death occurs, the paperwork will be handled by either the Medical Examiner or the Coroner. They will advise you when they have sent their paperwork to the Register Office for you to book an appointment. Deaths should normally be registered within five days of the paperwork being received by the Register Office.
Who can register a death?
Certain people have legal duty to give information for the registration of a death, in order of preference they are as follows:
- a relative or partner of the deceased
- a personal representative of the deceased (a solicitor, family friend, funeral director etc. appointed by the deceased themselves, or by the family)
- a person present at the death
- the person making the funeral arrangements
Where to register a death?
In England or Wales the death needs to be registered at the register office for the district in which the death occurred. You can go to a different office if it is more convenient, but the process will take a bit longer as the Registrar will need to forward your information to the original district where the Registrar will issue and send out the death certificate and other paperwork. You can obtain the address of the local Register Office or Registrar by visiting GOV.UK.
You can expect the appointment to take about 30 minutes. Staff at the Register Office will understand if you get upset. While they do their best to make this a quick and easy process, it’s a good idea to bring someone with you for support.
What do you need to register a death?
It may be helpful to take a few of the following documents if available:
- Birth certificate
- NHS medical card or number
- Marriage or civil partnership certificate
- Proof of address (such as a utility bill or bank statement)
- Driving licence
- Council tax bill
If you do not have all of these, do not worry – they are not essential. As long as you can provide the information below, they are not needed:
- The full name of the person who died
- Their maiden name, if applicable
- Their date and place of birth
- The date and place of death
- Their address
- Their marital status
- Their most recent occupation
- The full name, occupation and date of birth of their spouse or civil partner
- The full names, occupations and dates of birth of their parents, if the person who died was a child
What will the registrar give you after registering a death?
The documents you are given after registering a death are slightly different depending on where you are.
If you are registering a death in England or Wales, you will get:
- A green-coloured certificate for burial or cremation, which should be given to the funeral director.
- Copies of the death certificate, which you will need to buy. These can be used for settling the estate.
Tell Us Once
Tell Us Once is a free service that allows you to report a death to central and local government all at once. You will be given a unique reference number by the Registrar at your appointment which you can then use to access the system. Tell Us Once can be completed either by telephone or online. This service does not require a death certificate.
How much does registering a death cost?
Registering a death is free, but you will have to pay for any copies of the death certificate you order. If you buy them at the time of registration, they will cost £12.50 each in England and Wales.
