What To Do When Someone Dies?

If someone you love has passed away, then we’re awfully sorry for your loss. It’s very common to not know what to do when someone dies, and not know how to legally process the death. We’re going to talk you through all the steps necessary to take so that it’s as painless as possible while you’re grieving.

Initially, you need to register the death with the Registrar for Births and Deaths that covers the area in which the death happened by making an appointment. An executor or family member usually does this but it can also be done by whoever was present at the time of death. If you don’t know whether you have the authority to do this, then we can advise you, please get in touch.

When you attend your local Registrar you will need to take the following with you, if available but do not worry if not:

• The Medical Certificate
• The Deceased’s NHS Medical Card
• Marriage Certificate or Civil Partnership Certificate
• Passport
• Driving Licence
• Passport
• Council Tax Bill

This step usually requires a very straightforward interview with the Registrar who will ask you for the following information:

• Deceased’s date and place of death
• Their full name (including any former names such as their maiden name)
• Their last known home address
• Their marital status
• Their occupation
• Details of their surviving spouse or civil partner, including full name, occupation and date of birth
• Details of any state pension or benefits the deceased received

If possible, we recommend you bring the deceased’s NHS medical card, birth and marriage certificates, but don’t worry if you do not have access to these items.

You must bring a medical certificate when registering a death. The medical certificate is a document which states the Cause of Death and is usually issued by the Doctor who attended the deceased during their last illness.

If the cause of death is clear, the medical certificate is normally given to you in a sealed envelope addressed to the registrar at the time and is free of charge. If the cause of death isn’t clear, it will be issued at a later date once an investigation has been carried out.

We can advise you if you are unsure of where to collect this from. Email us on info@fallonfunerals.com or call 0161 371 9431.

After you’ve shown the Registrar the medical certificate and answered the necessary questions, the Registrar will proceed in issuing you with what’s often referred to as the ‘green form’, or a Certificate for Burial or Cremation. This gives permission that the deceased person can be buried or states that an application for cremation may be made.

You will now be able to purchase one of more Death Certificates if required. These may be required by the executor or administrator when dealing with the deceased’s affairs.

At this point, you can then begin making plans for a funeral by contacting funeral directors like ourselves. At Fallon Family Funerals, we help you through the funeral planning process from start to finish while honouring your loved one’s wishes, and are on hand to offer advice or guidance at any point in the process. We ensure that arranging the funeral as easy as possible, so you can concentrate on saying goodbye.