Registering the death Kathy Miller After a bereavement, registering the death is just one of the many things you have to think about. Our guide explains the procedure, step-by-step.

In this article

Information required by the registrar What do I do after registering the death?

Registering the death of a still-born baby What is a coroner?

All deaths in England and Wales must be registered by the Registrar of Births and Deaths for the sub-district in which the death occurred. In Scotland the law is a little different and the death can alternatively be registered in the district where the deceased lived. You'll be able to find the address in the phone book under Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages - or from your doctor, local council offices, post office or police station.

Before registering the death, it's advisable to check when the registrar is available and what details you need to provide. If the death has been referred to a coroner, the death won't be registered until the registrar has received authority from the coroner.

• The medical certificate stating the cause of death
• The deceased's medical card, birth and marriage certificates if they're available
• If the deceased was receiving a pension or allowance (disability or benefit payments) from public funds, the relevant documents should also be supplied
• Any insurance policies owned by the deceased
• If a post-mortem has been performed, the coroner's notification certificate will need to be presented

There are several things that the registrar will want to know about the deceased person:

• Date and place of birth and death
• Address, full name - and where appropriate, maiden name
• Occupation and the name, date of birth and occupation of spouse
• Details of any pension or other social security benefits

The registrar will give you a certificate for burial or cremation, which you should take to the funeral director. You'll also be given a certificate of registration of death for Social Security purposes. If this applies, you should fill it in and send it to your local Social Security office.

You can also ask the registrar about widows' benefits and income tax for widows, if this is appropriate.

The death certificate is a copy of the entry made by the registrar on the death register. If you need a death certificate for pension or insurance claims, you'll be charged a fee by the registrar. If you think you'll need several copies, it's cheaper to ask for them now, rather than later on.

The doctor or midwife will issue a signed certificate of still-birth. When you've given this to the registrar you'll be given a certificate for burial or cremation and a certificate of registration of still-birth. You can ask for the still-born baby's first name to be entered on the certificate.

If no doctor or midwife was present, one of the parents - or anyone who witnessed the still-birth - can make a declaration at the register office.

If you wish to have a funeral for the infant your health authority may offer to arrange this for you, or you can arrange it yourself. If the birth took place in hospital, the hospital staff will be able to help with the arrangements, which if you wish, can include a ceremony conducted by the resident chaplain.

For support during this difficult time, do see death of a baby for organisations that can help.

The coroner is a doctor or lawyer responsible for investigating deaths where the cause is not known or uncertain. He or she may arrange for a post-mortem examination to ascertain the cause of death and will supply a notification by the coroner certificate to the registrar.

If there's to be an inquest (a public enquiry into the circumstances of the death), the coroner will provide an order for burial or a certificate for cremation, so that the funeral can take place. If you want to take the body out of the country, you'll have to obtain a removal notice from the coroner. Your local police station will be able to give you the address of the local coroner.