Here we explain the practical steps that happen after an expected death in the community. 

This includes someone dying at home, in a nursing home, or on Pamela Bryant ward at Teddington Memorial Hospital.

Next of kin

To keep things simple, here we use the term ‘next of kin’ to mean the person speaking to the care teams and organising the paperwork and funeral. However, we understand that families make decisions in different ways. The named next of kin may not want or be able to take on these responsibilities.

Basic steps when someone dies

What to do when someone dies

Contact a healthcare professional

If the death was expected, telephone the district nurse or GP as soon as you feel able (day or night). In a nursing home or on Pamela Bryant ward, the staff will do this.

  • District nurses:
    020 8487 1699 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm)
    020 8973 3450 (after hours). 

The district nurse or GP will come as soon as they can. They will:

  • confirm the death
  • complete the ‘Verification of expected death’ form (VOED)
  • leave a copy of the form for the funeral director to collect and send a copy to the GP.

Contact the funeral director

When you feel ready, contact a funeral director. They will arrange to collect the person who has died. This is usually within a few hours.

Contact register office (Richmond only)

If the person died in Richmond, you should telephone Richmond register office to tell them. They will then email you asking for basic information about who has died. 

If the person died in Kingston, you should wait to be contacted by the register office there.

What happens next

The GP will contact the medical examiner’s office. 
The medical examiner’s office needs to be satisfied about the cause of death before a doctor can issue the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD). They will speak to the next of kin to discuss the cause of death and any concerns. They will also speak to the doctor who treated the patient during their final illness. In most cases, this is straightforward.

The medical examiner will email the ‘Medical Certificate of Cause of Death’ to the register office.

The register office will then contact you to organise an appointment to register the death. This may take a couple of days. 

You must then:

  • Attend an appointment at the register office to register the death.
  • Receive the Death Certificate and Certificate for Burial or cremation so the funeral can go ahead.

People you may be in contact with

  • Medical examiners are senior doctors who review medical records to consider cause of death.
  • Registrars at the register office collect and record details of all births, deaths and marriages.
  • Funeral directors (also called an undertaker) arrange the funeral, oversee the paperwork, care for the deceased person and support the family.

Personal property

If the person died on Pamela Bryant Ward or in a nursing home, staff will pack up any property and arrange for you to collect it.

Organ and tissue donation

Tissue donation may be possible after a person has died at home. This can often take place up to 48 hours after death.

The person’s donation decision can be checked on the NHS Organ Donor Register. If you would like more information, speak with the district nurse, GP or bereavement team, who can arrange specialist advice.

Certificates and forms

  • Verification of expected death form (VOED) is signed by the health professional who confirms the death. This is usually the district nurse or GP.
  • Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) is a legal record of the cause of death. It is signed by the GP and confirmed by an independent Medical Examiner. It is needed to register the death.
  • Death Certificate is a certified copy of the entry in the register of deaths. It is issued by the Register Office. This is an important document and is required by the person who is dealing with the estate. A death certificate will be needed in order to close accounts and notify organisations such as insurance companies.
  • Certificate for burial or cremation (Green form) is issued by the register office once the death has been registered. It is usually passed on to the funeral director. A burial or cremation cannot go ahead without this form.

Registering the death

Where and when

Once the register office receives the MCCD from the medical examiner, the death should be registered within 5 days (excluding weekends and bank holidays). 

The register office will call you to arrange an appointment once they receive the MCCD.

The appointment will be in person at:

The MCCD or coroner’s documents will always be sent to Richmond register office. However, you can ask to have the appointment at any register office in England or Wales. When Richmond register office rings you to make the appointment, you can ask them to transfer the documents to your preferred register office.

Who can register

Someone must go in person to the register office to register the death. This can be:

  • next of kin, partner or family member
  • someone who was present at the death
  • person arranging the funeral (if there are no relatives available).

What to take with you

When you see the registrar, they will need the following information about the person who died.

  • Date and place of the death
  • Their full names (including the maiden name of a married woman). Any other names they were known as can also be recorded.
  • Their address
  • Where and when they were born. The town or county is sufficient if the exact address is not known. For people born outside the United Kingdom, only the country of birth is needed 
  • Their occupation
  • Details of their wife or husband or civil partner
  • Whether they had any Government pension or other benefits.

It is also a good idea to take proof of your own name and address.

What happens at the appointment

At the appointment, the registrar will give you:

  • Certificate for burial or cremation (Green form).
    This is sent electronically to chosen funeral.
  • Copies of the death certificate.
    You will need these to notify the person’s bank, utility company and others who need to know about the death. These are usually returned, but most people find it useful to have multiple copies to help with this administration. Copies were £12.50 each at the time this booklet was printed.
  • ‘Tell us once’ unique reference number.
    This makes it easy to notify multiple government organisations of a death.

Faith and cultural needs

Local faith leaders will be able to offer comfort, advice and spiritual support, whatever your beliefs or faith. 

If you have any religious or cultural funeral requirements, tell the district nurse or GP when they come to confirm the death. 

If your relative has died on a weekend or public holiday, and you intend to bury them on the same day for faith reasons, contact the Council on 020 8891 1411. Tell the Customer Services team that you want a faith burial. They will ask the registrar to contact you urgently.

Other admin

As well as registering the death, there are a lot of other admin tasks to complete, such as telling banks and pension companies.

Tell Us Once is a government service that lets you report a death to most government organisations in one go. The registrar will give you a code for the Tell Us Once service. 

There are other things that you will need to think about too. This checklist may help.

In the days following the death:
  • Check for a will, funeral plan or instructions for funeral.
  • Inform:
    • employer or school 
    • care providers, meals on wheels etc. 
    • banks, credit and store cards and any other financial accounts 
    • insurance providers, such as property (especially if left unoccupied) and car insurance
    • mortgage provider or landlord/local authority 
    • companies that the person had contracts with, like utility companies, landlords or housing associations
    • personal or workplace pension schemes, unless they’re one of the public sector pension schemes that Tell Us Once contacts.

Life Ledger is another service that allows you to inform companies such as banks, insurances, utilities and even some subscription services. There are over 1000 companies registered with their service. 

In the following weeks or months:

  • Gather all financial paperwork, such as insurance certificates and bank statements, and any documents relating to property.
  • If you have not found a will, choose who will deal with the estate and contact Probate Registry.
  • Find out if probate is needed and, if so, how you will go about the process yourself or using a professional.
Citizens Advice
Government Advice

Arranging a funeral

If the person who died had a pre-paid funeral plan, you will need the policy number, plan certificate or proof of purchase.

Your funeral director will ask for the form from whoever confirmed the death. 

Advice and a list of accredited funeral directors can be found on the Richmond Council website.

You may want to investigate a cremation service. Advice on how to proceed with this can be found on the Good Funeral Guide site.

Emotional support

There is no right or wrong way to deal with your grief. You may feel several things all at once, such as sadness, anger, helplessness or acceptance. Or you may find it difficult to identify what you are feeling and wish to focus on the practicalities.

It is important to ask for help from your personal support network if you need to. If you are feeling particularly overwhelmed by your emotions, contact your GP for support.

Support following a death

If you would like to talk to someone, there are a number of free services available.

Bereavement support

For those cared for by a hospice

If the person who died was looked after by Princess Alice Hospice or Royal Trinity Hospice, you will be able to get bereavement support from them.

For those bereaved by cancer

Self-care

At difficult times, some of us find ourselves focussing on the wellbeing of those around us. However, if you have not prioritised your own wellbeing, you may not be able to help.

If you feel that you need some help with this, speak to your GP. They can guide you to some organisations or websites that may help.