In the first day or two
If the death was expected and at home, contact the GP surgery. If it happened in hospital or a care home, the staff will guide you. If the death was sudden or unexplained, it will be reported to the coroner, which can add time before you can register.
- Get the medical certificate of cause of death (or wait for coroner clearance).
- Tell close family and anyone who needs to know urgently.
- Find out whether there was a funeral plan, will, or written wishes before committing to anything.
Registering the death
In England and Wales you usually need to register within five days; in Scotland it is eight. You will normally do this at the register office for the area where the person died, by appointment.
Order several certified copies of the death certificate at the same time — banks, pension providers and insurers often want their own copy, and they are cheaper at the point of registration.
Arranging the funeral
There is no legal requirement to use a funeral director, though most families do. UK funeral directors must publish a standardised price list, which makes comparing straightforward.
You do not have to decide quickly, and you are allowed to ask more than one provider for a price.
Notifying organisations
The Tell Us Once service reports a death to most government departments in one go. Banks, utilities, insurers and pension schemes usually need to be contacted separately.