Questions & Answers

How to register a death
Every death should normally be registered in the district in which the death occurs, unless special arrangements are made to register in a more convenient district.

The duty of registration must be carried out by the next of kin, family member, the person responsible for making the funeral arrangements or other person connected with the deceased. If you are unsure whether you are entitled to register a death the area Registrar will be able to advise you.

Some Registrars have an appointment only system.

As funeral directors we cannot register a death but can, of course, provide you with the addresses and opening times of all local registrars.

You should take the following with you when you go to register the death:

i) the medical cause of death certificate, issued by a doctor

ii) the medical card of the deceased You should tell the registrar the:

• Full name of the deceased
• The date and place of birth of the deceased
• The occupation of the deceased
• If applicable, the maiden name of the deceased
• The name of her/his spouse, and her/his date of birth and occupation
• Whether the funeral will be burial or cremation

For a small fee the Registrar will issue you with a copy of the entry, and further copies if required. These you will need for closing bank accounts, redeeming insurance policies and the like where proof of death is required.

You will be issued with a green certificate which is required before a burial or cremation can take place. Please forward this to us as soon as possible to avoid any unnecessary delay.

The Registrar will also issue a white certificate which you should arrange to be returned to your local DSS office along with any benefit books the deceased held, such as a pension book.

Registration of the death should take place within 5 working days of the death certificate being issued unless alternative arrangements have been made with the Registrar directly. A car can be arranged if you have difficulty getting to the Registrar.