When someone dies at home
When someone dies at home, the first contact should be with the deceased’s doctor who, if satisfied as to the cause of death, will issue the Medical Certificate of Death. Sometimes you will be asked to collect this from the surgery. If the doctor is uncertain as to the cause of death he will refer the death to a coroner.

Contact us: We will arrange a meeting with you to discuss all your requirements and any support you may need at this time.

When someone dies in hospital or in a nursing home
If relatives are not present when death occurs the nursing staff will contact you. They will arrange for a doctor to issue the Medical Certificate of Death and a Release Form, which needs to be signed by the next of kin, releasing the deceased into the care of the Funeral Director. If the funeral is to be a cremation please inform the hospital staff. When all necessary paperwork has been completed we will collect the deceased and take into our care.

If death occurs in a nursing home the nursing staff will contact you and they will make the arrangements with a doctor. They will then contact us on your behalf to arrange to collect the deceased and take into our care.

Contact us: We will arrange a meeting with you to discuss funeral arrangements, and collection of the deceased to take into our care.

When someone dies unexpectedly
If a death is unexpected it is normal for a coroner to be involved. The main duty of the Coroner is to investigate all sudden and unexpected deaths. Once a death has been reported to a Coroner the facts surrounding the death will be investigated. This may include a post mortem examination to establish the cause of death and there may be a delay in making the funeral arrangements.

Contact us: We will liaise with the Coroner and advise you of procedures.

When someone dies away from home or abroad
When someone dies away from home the formalities will be completed by a doctor or hospital staff in that area. Arrangements can be made by us to bring the deceased home.

Registering the death
After the doctor or hospital has issued the Medical Certificate, the informant must register the death at the Registry Office. This should be done in the district where the deceased died, but if this is not possible you may go to your local Registrar. This could however delay arrangements as the Registrar will have to forward the declaration to the Registrar Office where the death occurred. At some Registrars you will need to book an appointment; you will find phone numbers and addresses on the Useful Contacts page.

What you need to take with you:
• The Medical Certificate
• Deceased’s Medical Card (if available)
• Birth and Marriage Certificate (if available)

Information the Registrar needs to know about the deceased:
• The date and place of death
• Their full name; maiden name if applicable
• Their home address
• The date and place of birth
• Their occupation
• Details of any pension or allowance from public funds
• If married, the date of birth of the surviving spouse

A death certificate or copies can be obtained for a small fee – these may be needed for legal or financial purposes.

The Registrar will also issue you with a green Registrar’s Certificate for burial or cremation. This will be needed by the Funeral Director. You will also be given a white Certificate of Registration of Death which is used to cancel payments of pensions and allowances from public funds.

If there is a Will
The Executor(s) named in the Will, or the deceased’s personal representative if there is no will, is responsible for arranging the funeral and looking after the persons assets and property.

The Will may hold instructions as to the deceased’s wishes on the type of funeral required.

Probate/Letters of Administration
If the deceased has left a Will, the Executor(s) should ‘prove’ this in order to obtain probate. If there is no Will, the deceased’s representative should apply for Letters of Administration. Phone numbers and addresses are listed on the Useful Contacts page.

If help is needed we have a free advisory service to deal with all aspects of the deceased’s estate.

Transplants
If the deceased has expressed wishes to a relative, or has completed donor cards, to donate eyes or organs you must contact the nearest hospital immediately to fulfill these instructions.

Continue to Funeral Arrangements.