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Where can
I register the death?
The death has to be registered at the
Register Office for the district in which it took place. For example if
the death occurred in Doncaster Royal Infirmary, the registration will
be made at Doncaster Register Office.
If it is not possible for you to attend at the office where the death
should be registered then you may make a declaration at any Register
Office in England and Wales. The death declaration will then be sent to
the correct office. The death certificates and other documents will be
posted to you, which will cause a delay in you being able to make the
funeral arrangements.
At most Register Offices an appointment is required. Please telephone to
arrange a convenient time for your appointment.
Who can register the death?
Most deaths occur in a house, a
hospital or an elderly persons' home and the law states that a death may
be registered by (in this order of preference):
- A relative of the deceased
- A person present at death
- The occupier of the house or
institution where the death took place, if there is no known
relative who is able to register
- The person who is arranging the
funeral, that is the person instructing the Funeral Director
Is there a time limit to register a death?
In normal circumstances the Registrar
must be notified within five days of the date of death. This does not
apply when the Coroner is involved (see below).
How long will the death registration take?
The registration takes about 30
minutes if all the necessary information is at hand. In some
circumstances the Registrar may have to refer the death to the Coroner.
Only provisional funeral arrangements should be made until the death has
been registered and then confirmed when the authority for the funeral
has been issued.
What information will the Registrar require?
- Date and place of death
- Full name of the deceased
- Maiden name in the case of a woman
who has been married
- Date and place of birth of the
deceased
- Occupation of the deceased and in
the case of a woman who is married or widowed, the full name and
occupation of her husband
- The address of the deceased
- If the deceased was still married,
the date of birth of their spouse
- If readily available the Medical
card or the National Health Service Number
- Whether the deceased was in receipt
of a pension or benefits from public funds
The Registrar will then issue you with a
form to take to the Funeral Director (in some cases this will have been
issued by the Coroner) which gives permission for burial or cremation
(often known as the Green Form). You will also be given another form,
which you should take or send to the DSS in respect of the state
pensions and benefits.
You will also be able to purchase standard Death certificates, which are
copies of the entry in the Register, which you will need for a variety
of purposes such as sorting out the will, claiming a pension or
unlocking savings from the deceased’s accounts. The number of
certificates you need will vary according to how complicated the
deceased person's affairs were.
When is a death reported to a Coroner?
A death may be referred to the
Coroner for a number of reasons:
- The death was unexpected or the
doctor is unsure of the precise cause of death
- The Coroner feels that for legal
reasons the circumstances of the death require further
investigation, for example following an accident
Once the Coroner’s investigations are
completed, the death must be registered at the Register Office. In
inquest cases, registration can only take place after the inquest has
been held.
Once a death has been reported to the Coroner one of three things will
happen:
- The Coroner may decide that no
action is necessary and he will issue a form 100A to the Registrar
stating this. You should check with the relevant Register Office to
ensure the form has been received and make arrangements to register
the death
- The Coroner may decide to ask a
pathologist to carry out a post-mortem. When this happens there will
be a delay whilst the cause of death is established. The Coroner
will study the pathology report and any other information about the
circumstances of the death. The Coroner may decide after considering
the pathology report and circumstances of the death to hold an
inquest. If the cause of death is unnatural the Coroner may be
obliged to hold an inquest. A date will be set for the inquest and
this may be some weeks or even months away. During this period of
waiting the death cannot be registered, although the Coroner will be
able to release the body for the funeral soon after the cause of
death is known.
Where hardship would result from not being able to produce a death
certificate, the Coroner can arrange to issue an interim death
certificate.
Once the death has been registered, death certificates can be
obtained by personal or postal application. A telephone call to the
Register Office will answer any questions you have about obtaining
the certificates.
You may find it helpful to record the following details:
- Coroner’s name
- Coroner’s Address
- Coroner’s Telephone no
- Register Office Address
- Register Office Telephone no
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