A death should normally be registered within 5 days unless a Coroner is conducting an investigation. The death should be registered at the Register Office for the district where the death occurred.
It is possible to give the details of the death to a registrar elsewhere in England or Wales. They will forward the information to the register office where the death will be registered. Unfortunately this can cause a delay to the funeral, as the necessary paperwork will be sent by post instead of being issued to the person registering.
Who can register a death?
The following people can register a death;
- A relative of the deceased.
- A person present at the death.
- The occupier of the premises where the death occurred if he/she knew about it.
- A person making funeral arrangements
How do I register a death?
You will need to make an appointment at a Register Office and bring with you the medical certificate of death (given by the doctor who was treating the deceased) if you have it. You will also be asked to provide the following information about the deceased:
- Full name and surname, and maiden name if appropriate
- Date and place of death
- Date and place of birth
- Marital status
- Usual address
- Occupation
- If the deceased was a married or widowed woman - full name, date of birth and occupation of her husband
- If available - NHS medical card or NHS number
- Whether the deceased was in receipt of a pension or benefits from public funds. (e.g. Civil Service or Forces pension).
Tell us once
When you register a death at our Register Offices we can provide a service called 'tell us once' to inform other council departments, the Department of Work and Pensions, HMRC and the DVLA so you don't have to.
You will need to bring the following information about the person who has died if you have it:
- Their National Insurance number and date of birth
- Details of any benefits or services they were receiving
- Their death certificate
- Their Driving Licence or Driving Licence number
- Their Passport or Passport number and town/country of birth
- Their blue parking badge
- Their bus pass
We may also need the contact details for:
- Their next of kin
- A surviving husband, wife or civil partner
- The person dealing with their estate
Find out more about Tell us once (external website)
Fees and certificates
There is no fee for registering a death and you will receive a certificate for burial or cremation, which the funeral director will need, and a BD8 certificate for the Benefits agency if applicable. The cost of a Death Certificate is £11.
Find out how to get copy certificates.