When someone dies
Notify the family doctor register the death at a register office
find the will - the deceased person’s solicitor may have a copy if you can't find one
begin funeral arrangements - you will need to check the will for any special requests
if relevant, complete form BD8 given to you when you register the death and send to the local Job centre Plus or Social Security if the person who has died was receiving any benefits or tax credits, advise the offices that were making the payments - if you can't find relevant correspondence, contact the Tax Credit help line and Job centre plus
If there is a will contact the executor if this isn't’t you (usually nominated in the will to sort out the deceased's affairs) to enable them to start the process of obtaining probate
If there is no will decide who will apply to sort out the deceased's affairs contact the Probate Registry to apply for 'letters of administration'
Who else to contact
Download the government check list
As well as informing people who are close to the person, in many cases you'll need to close down accounts, or cancel or change insurance details, subscriptions, agreements, payments or direct debits.
Here’s a list to help you keep track, just cross through the ones that don’t apply:
Relatives and friends
Employer, school, solicitor/accountant
Government organisations
Relevant Tax Office National Insurance Contributions Office if they were self-employed (to cancel payments)
Child Benefit Office (at latest within eight weeks)
Local authority if they paid Council Tax, had a parking permit, were issued with a Blue Badge for Disabled parking, or received social services help, attended day care or similar
UK Identity and Passport Service, to return and cancel a passport
DVLA, to return any driving licence, cancel car tax or return car registration documents/change ownership
Financial organisations
General insurance companies - contents, car, travel, medical etc any other company with which the deceased may have had rental, hire purchase or loan agreements
if the deceased was the first named on an insurance policy, make contact as early as possible to check that you are still insured pension providers/life insurance companies banks and building societies
Mortgage provider hire purchase or loan companies
Credit card providers/store cards
Utilities and household contacts
Landlord or local authority if they rented a property
Any private organisation/agency providing home help
Utility companies if accounts were in the deceased's name
Royal Mail, if mail needs re-directing
TV/INTERNET companies with which the deceased had subscriptions
Other useful contacts
Bereavement Register and Deceased Preference Service to remove the deceased's name from mailing lists and databases.
Clubs, trade unions, associations with seasonal membership for cancellation and refunds, Church/regular place of worship social groups to which the deceased belonged
Dentist
Creditors - anyone to whom the deceased owed money
Debtors - anyone who owed the deceased money
Benefits and financial help, you may be able to claim certain benefits and one-off payments if you lived with or were dependent on the deceased. Time limits apply, so contact your nearest Job centre Plus office as soon as possible to find out if you can
Make a claim for Bereavement Allowance
Make a claim for Widowed Parent’s Allowance
Make a claim for a Bereavement Payment
Make a claim for a Funeral Payment
Check your current benefits and tax credits
Making a new will
Surviving relatives and friends of the deceased may need to make a new will. It's important to ask a solicitor about this. Bereavement – counselling and support
Everyone deals with bereavement in their own way. If you or someone you know needs counselling or support, ask your family doctor or contact an organisation such as Cruse Bereavement Care. Their aim is to promote the well-being of bereaved people and provides counselling and support. The organisation also offers information, advice, education and training services.Your local authority may provide support and advice about the arrangements that need to be made after a bereavement, such as registering the death and obtaining a death certificate.
Registering a death, .... What to do first If the death was expected :-
Contact the doctor who attended the deceased during their final illness. If the doctor can certify the cause of death then they will issue you with a Medical Certificate that shows the cause of death and a Formal Notice that states that the doctor has signed the Medical Certificate and tells you how to get the death registered.
You may also wish to contact the deceased's minister of religion and a funeral director to make arrangements for the funeral.
If the death followed illness from HIV or AIDS there may be special rules about handling the body. The Terence Higgins Trust web site www.tht.org.uk can advise on funeral arrangements.If the death was unexpected :-
If the death is sudden or unexpected, you should contact the deceased's nearest relative. If you are the nearest relative contact the following people:
· the family doctor (if known)
· the funeral director
· the deceased's minister of religion
· the police, who will help find the people listed above if necessary. When a death is referred to the coroner?
The doctor may occasionally refer the death to the coroner. This can occur in cases where the death was sudden or cause of death is unknown or there has been an accident or injury.
A Coroner can order a post-mortem examination without getting the relatives permission. This examination will ascertain the cause of death. He may also wish to hold an investigation into circumstances leading up to a death. (This is called an inquest). When an inquest is called, the Coroner's Office will contact the relatives. This should not cause undue distress as it is a legal formality.
In such cases the Death Certificate will be issued direct to you from the Coroner's Office and the relatives must then go to the Registrar to register the death. When an inquest is to be held, the death cannot be registered until the conclusion of the inquest, but a certificate will normally be issued at the opening of the inquest to allow the funeral to take place.
For more information on the Coroner you can visit the web site of the Home Office www.homeoffice.gov.uk
By law, a death must be registered within 5 days of its occurrence. However, this period can be extended under certain circumstances.
You may also go to any Registry Office in England or Wales and make a declaration of the particulars required. However, there will be a slight delay in receiving certificates and paperwork, as these will be posted from the receiving Register Office.
Any one of the following people may register a death:- A relative of the deceased A person present at the death The occupier of the house or residential home where the death occurred (if there is no known relative who is able to register) The person who is arranging the funeral (Not the funeral director)
The Registrar will interview you in private and you will need the following information:- The date and place of death. The full name of the deceased (and maiden surname for a married woman) The date and place of birth of the deceased (a birth certificate would be helpful) The deceased's occupation, and the full name and occupation of her husband, if she was a married woman or widow The deceased's usual home address Whether the deceased was in receipt of a pension from public funds. The date of birth of the deceased's spouse, if alive. The NHS medical card number for the deceased. However, please do not delay registration if this is not available.
You will need to bring: the medical certificate of cause of death issued by the doctor treating the person who has died. This is essential - the Registrar can do nothing without it. If the death has been referred to the Coroner, the Coroner's Office will advise you what to do. if the deceased received a pension or allowance from public funds, e.g. Civil Service or Army Pensions, please inform the Registrar
The Registrar will ask you some questions to obtain the above information, and then will print out a draft copy of the entry for you to check. It is most important that this draft is checked carefully, as mistakes can easily be rectified at this point. Once the draft is signed the Registrar will enter the details into the register, again you will be asked to check the details before signing the register.
When the death is registered you will receive the following documents:
A green form (Form 9), to be given to the funeral director.
A white form (Form 344) to be sent or taken to the DSS together with any state pension or benefit books, this will stop any payments.The registrars' department will inform the Council of the death but you will need to contact the Council Tax department.
They will need to know the following:
Name and address of the deceased
Date of death
Next of kin's name and address
Whether the property is now occupied or vacant
If it is still occupied the name(s) of occupier(s)
If the property is empty has probate been granted If probate has been granted, from which date If the property is owned or rented .
The name of the owner if the property is rented If the property is furnished or not
The name and address of beneficiaries
The name and address of the solicitor's of the deceased
How long will I go on feeling this way?
Coming to terms with your loss is a gradual process and, like all healing, it takes time. Be patient with yourself. You will almost certainly find that there is no single cut-off point when your grieving stops. There are likely to be days when you feel you may have achieved it, and others when you reach the depths of despair again.
At some point, you will realise that thoughts of the dead person aren't constantly filling your mind, and when you do remember them, it's not always with sadness. You may notice, for example, that you are just beginning to make plans for the future. Don't feel guilty about that; love doesn't have to be measured by sorrow. For some people, the timing of this turning point coincides with a particular anniversary. A first anniversary of the death is often a watershed, but other yearly celebrations and special occasions, such as birthdays or wedding days, may re-awaken some sadness. This will probably lessen each year.As time goes by, you may realise that you are dwelling less on the past. You will find yourself looking ahead, planning and starting new projects. This is perfectly natural; although life can't go on exactly as before, you do have a future.
Using a funeral director
Many people choose to use a professional funeral director. Funeral directors can help at what is generally a stressful time, and should see that the remains of the deceased are dealt with in a dignified way, although there are other options which retain that dignity - there's more information on arranging a funeral without a funeral director below.
Detailed planning of the funeral If you're using a funeral director they will help you with decisions such as. where the body should rest before the funeral time and place of the funeral (though this can only be finalised once the death is registered) type of service (religious or other) and who will conduct it/contribute how much to spend on the funeral whether to have flowers or instead donate money to a chosen charity where to donate flowers after the funeral invitations notice in the newspapers
Choosing a funeral director
Friends, family, clergy or your doctor may be able to recommend local funeral directors. Most local companies are also listed in the telephone directory.Most funeral directors are members of one of two trade associations:National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF) Member firms must provide you with a price list on request and cannot exceed any written estimate they give you without your permission.
National Association of Funeral Directors Warwick Road
Solihull, West Midlands B91 1AA
Telephone: 0845 230 1343
Monday to Friday 9.00 am to 5.00 pm
Arranging a funeral without a funeral director You can arrange a funeral without the help of a funeral director. If you wish to do this, contact the Cemeteries and Crematorium Department of your Local Authority for advice and guidance. You can also get help and information from The Natural Death Centre.