What to Do When Someone Dies

Immediately after someone dies

The first thing to do when someone dies depends on the circumstances of their death.

If someone dies at home and their death was expected

Call their GP practice and nearest relative (if that's not you). First, a doctor or nurse will come to verify the death. A doctor will then complete their part of a medical certificate, which explains the cause of death. This is then sent to a medical examiner (a senior doctor) who reviews it. The medical examiner or one of their team will then speak to the nearest relative to check they understand and agree with the medical certificate.

You can ask the medical examiner questions and raise any concerns you have about the death at this stage. You’ll also be given a formal notice stating that the MCCD has been signed. This notice tells you how to register the death. Then, when you feel ready to do so, you can contact a funeral director of your choice who will move the body.

If someone dies at home unexpectedly

Call 999 immediately and explain what's happened. The death will need to be reported to the coroner if the cause of death is unknown, unclear, or unnatural — such as the result of an accident.

A coroner is a lawyer with the legal duty to investigate unexpected deaths (some coroners are also doctors). The coroner may order a post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death. This may take some time, so the funeral may need to be delayed. You cannot refuse the examination, but you can tell them if you need to arrange the funeral quickly for faith reasons.

When someone dies unexpectedly, the police will also be called to do a routine visit. They'll ask questions about the circumstances of the death which may be used to help the coroner to understand the cause of death. This can be unsettling but it's important to remember that it is normal procedure in these circumstances.

If someone dies in hospital

The hospital will explain the steps you need to take. After the death has been verified by a first doctor or nurse, the cause of death will then usually be checked by the medical examiner, who will then issue MCCD and a formal notice will be issued directly to the registrar.

The body will usually be kept in the hospital mortuary until the relatives arrange for it to be taken to the funeral director's premises or taken home. If an MCCD can’t be issued, the hospital will refer the death to the coroner.

Caring for them at home

• Keep the room as cold as possible
• Switch off any electric blankets
• If they are on a pressure relieving mattress, this can be left on
• You may want to wash and dress them, brush their hair, close their eyes and mouth
• Roll up a towel and place it under the chin if necessary

After someone dies, their doctor must confirm the death before contacting the medical examiner. This can take a few days.

A medical examiner will then check the cause of death to make sure it’s accurate. They will be a senior doctor and they will not have been involved in the care of the person who has died.

The medical examiner’s office will then contact you to:

• explain the cause of death
• answer any questions you have about this or the healthcare provided to the person before they died

This is voluntary and you do not have to speak to them.

Registering the death

You must wait for the medical examiner’s office to confirm you can register the death.

Register the death within 5 days (8 days in Scotland) of getting the confirmation. This includes weekends and bank holidays.

If you need more than 5 days, you must tell the register office immediately.

After you’ve registered the death

You’ll receive a certificate for burial or cremation (often called ‘the green form’).

Give the certificate to your funeral director, crematorium or burial authority. You must do this before the funeral can take place.

Who can register the death?

The law states that the following may register a death:

1. A relative of the deceased
2. A person present at the death
3. The occupier of the house or institution where the death took place
4. The person arranging the funeral (instructing the funeral director)

After registration you will receive:

• A certificate for burial or cremation (known as a 'Green Form')
• A unique code, so that you can use the Tell Us Once service
• A death certificate, which you need to pay for. This is a certified copy of what's recorded in the death register and you need it to deal with the person's estate, including their finances or property.

Tip: It can be a good idea to pay for some extra copies of the death certificate, as you might need them when you're sorting out the estate of the person who's died. Ordinary photocopies aren't accepted by some organisations, such as banks or life insurance companies.

Local Registrar Offices in Cumbria

You do not have to use a funeral director and may want to organise the funeral yourself. You may want to use some but not all of a funeral director's services.

It is important to choose someone that you trust and understands what it is you want, so you may want to call around different organisations before you decide.

A funeral is one of those rare events which is not necessarily improved by professionals. Your funeral needs to be created and conducted according to the culture, customs and language of your family. You have choices:

• Direct cremation/burial – no funeral service
• Memorial service – a funeral at which the dead person is not present
• Family-organised farewell – with or without ashes, anywhere you want, at any time
• Private funeral – only certain people invited
• Personalised conventional funeral – alternative hearse, colourful coffin, dress code, theme, different music
• Traditional funeral – with all the traditional elements

Personal touches

• Dress code – ask people to dress in a way that reflects the sense of occasion
• Put something on the coffin – a single flower stem, a sprig of herb, or a last message
• Funeral favours – give guests a little keepsake: seeds to plant, a favourite recipe, something that belonged to the person
• Raise a toast – consider sharing their favourite sweet or raising a glass at the goodbye moment

When someone dies you will need to contact various organisations to inform them. You may need to send them a death certificate:

Tell Us Once: This government service helps you notify multiple departments at once. The registrar will provide this form when you register the death.

Important: If the deceased owned a vehicle, check insurance cover before anyone drives it. Permission to drive may cease when the owner dies.

Ashes are available for collection the next day. Final Journey will collect these and arrange to bring them to you.