Funeral Arrangements

Get a medical certificate from a GP or hospital doctor. You’ll need this to register the death. Register the death within 5 days. The Registrar will need to see the medical certificate showing the cause of death, signed by a doctor. If they are available, it is also useful to take the person’s:

• Birth certificate
• Council Tax bill
• Driving licence
• Marriage or civil partnership certificate
• NHS medical card
• Passport
• Proof of address (eg utility bill)

You’ll need to tell the registrar:

• the person’s full name at the time of death
• any names previously used, eg maiden name
• the person’s date and place of birth
• their last address
• their occupation
• the full name, date of birth and occupation of a surviving or late spouse or civil partner
• whether they were getting a State Pension or any other benefits

You’ll then get the documents from the Registrar that you need for the funeral.

These will include:

• a Certificate for Burial or Cremation (the ‘green form’) – gives permission for burial or an application for cremation
• a Certificate of Registration of Death (form BD8) – you may need to fill this out and return it if the person was getting a State Pension or benefits (the form will come with a pre-paid envelope so you know where to send it)

If the cause of death is unknown, sudden or unexplained it may be reported to the coroner. The coroner will give you the documents you need, or they’ll send them direct to the registrar.

You can then arrange the funeral – this is where we can help you.