Who can register a death?
The following persons may act as Informant, when registering:
- A relative of the deceased present at the death.
- A relative of the deceased in attendance during the last illness.
- A relative of the deceased residing or being in the district where the death occurred.
- A person present at the death.
- The person making arrangements with the funeral director (eg. person responsible for payment of the funeral expenses).
Funeral Directors are NOT allowed to register a death.
How to Register a Death
When a person passes away, a doctor will issue:
- The Medical Certificate of Cause of Death, more commonly known as the Death Certificate.
- When you have the Death Certificate, make an appointment at the Registrar’s Office in the district where the death occurred.
- To register a death, you will need to take the Death Certificate as well as a Birth Certificate, Marriage or Civil Partnership Certificate and the deceased’s NHS medical card, if they are to hand.
- If the deceased was in receipt of a state pension or benefits, it is useful to have their National Insurance number available.
The Registrar will need to know
The Registrar will need to know:
- The full name of the deceased at the time of death, any previous names including maiden names.
- The date and place of birth.
- Last address and their occupation.
- If there is a surviving spouse, late spouse or civil partner, the Registrar will need to know their full name, date of birth, occupation and if they were receiving a state pension or state benefit.
- The Registrar will then issue a Certificate for Burial or Cremation (usually called the ‘Green Form’ due to its colour) which gives permission for burial or an application for cremation. The Registrar will also issue a Certificate of Registration of Death (Death Certificate) which is required for legal purposes and, if the deceased was in receipt of a state pension or benefits. Copies can then be used to apply for probate, close bank accounts, claim on insurance policies and to close an estate. There is a fee of £4 for each copy.