All deaths have to be registered in the district where the death occurred, but arrangements can be made to physically register in another area by declaration. We can advise you how to register the death, but we are not permitted by law to complete the registration of death for you.
To register the death you need to have a simple interview with the Registrar at the Registry Office and they will require specific basic information about the deceased.
The registrar will require;
- The full name of the deceased
- Home address of the deceased
- Date and place of birth and death
- The last known occupation of the deceased (if applicable)
- The marital status of the deceased
If the deceased is female and was married, her maiden name, her husbands full name and occupation will also need to be provided
You will also need to take the certificate of cause of death provided to you by the GP or hospital, in cases where the deceased is a friend or acquaintance it would prove helpful to take a form of their identification to ensure that the correct spelling of their name is entered correctly onto the register, as the amendment process can be complicated. In the instance that the coroner is involved they will advise you when to register and they will send the certificate directly to the Registrar.
The following people can register the death.
- Any relative of the person who has died.
- Any person present at the death.
- The person who lives in the house where the person died.
- The person arranging the funeral, but not a funeral director.
The Registrar will issue a Green Certificate, which should be given to your Funeral Director as soon as possible to proceed with the funeral arrangements.
Copies of the Entry of Death (often known as Death Certificates) may be obtained from the Registrar upon payment of the appropriate fee and will be required for Insurance purposes, probate, Bank accounts, private pension schemes, National Savings Certificates, Premium Bonds etc.