Regulatory Requirements

We are committed to setting and maintaining the highest Industry Standards especially from the perspective of loved ones.

REGISTERING A DEATH

Deaths need to be registered within five days in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (within eight days in Scotland). It is necessary for someone who knows about the deceased (the informant) to go to the office of the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages in person. The requirements are identified in the Registration Laws. This should ideally be in the sub-district in which the death occurred or the deceased was found. Many register offices now operate on an appointment system. We feel this is so much kinder to bereaved families, rather than having to sit in a waiting room for up to an hour with others attending to register births or even give legal notice for marriages.

There is currently no charge for registering a death, but you will have to pay for certified copies of the entry, which of course you will need for banks, building societies, insurances and a host of other organisations.

REGISTRATION BY DECLARATION

If there are problems in keeping within this time scale, registering may be delayed for a further nine days - as long as written confirmation that a doctor, has signed a certificate of cause of death is given. We can help and guide you with this.

INFORMATION YOU WILL NEED WHEN REGISTERING THE DEATH OF A LOVED ONE

When registering the death, the informant needs to take the medical certificate of the cause of death and, if possible:

  • The deceased's medical card
  • Pension book
  • The deceased's birth and marriage certificates
  • Maiden name if a married woman, and any other names used.

YOU MAY ALSO NEED TO TELL THE REGISTRAR

  • The time, place & date of death
  • The place and date of birth
  • The last (usual) address of the deceased
  • The deceased's occupation and the name and occupation of spouse
  • The date of birth of the deceased's surviving widow or widower

The registrar will make an entry, which you will be asked to approve and sign. The death certificate is a certified copy of the entry in the Register of Deaths and you will be able to obtain copies for a small fee.

The death certificate is very important because banks, building societies, insurance companies and pension providers etc., need it before they will release any funds owing to the deceased's estate.

The registrar will also give you a certificate for cremation or burial, known as the 'green form' (white form in Scotland). These forms are important and your funeral director will require them. You will also be given a certificate of registration of death (form BD 8 rev), which is needed for social security purposes. The relevant parts of this certificate need to be completed and sent to your local DSS office.