Immediate Steps to Take Following a Bereavement
Practical guidance to help you through the first actions after a death, with support available every step of the way.
At Home
A death occurring at home is often the result of a long illness and although expected, is still distressing.
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In such cases you should telephone the deceased’s doctor surgery and inform them. The doctor will attend as soon as possible to confirm and certify death. If the death has occurred outside surgery hours or if the deceased’s doctor is unavailable, it is usual for an ‘on-call’ doctor or other qualified medical professional to attend.
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Once the doctor has come out and confirmed the death, and you have had the opportunity to say your goodbyes, contact a local funeral director to arrange for them to bring your loved one into their care until the day of the funeral.
If the death occurs overnight, it is usual to not contact the funeral director until the morning; however, we are happy to come out if you wish – although this does incur an additional charge.
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The doctor will share the details with the Medical Examiner, an independent senior doctor. If there are any questions relating to the cause of death, such as if it is a sudden or unexpected death, they will refer the death to the Coroner.
Within a few days of the death, the Medical Examiner’s office will contact you by phone to explain what the cause of death will be recorded as, or if a Coroner referral is required. You will have the opportunity to raise any questions about the cause of death or care received.
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Provided a Coroner referral is not required, the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death will be sent to the register office local to the place of death. A Medical Examiner Officer will then call you to let you know that they have sent the certificate and that you may proceed with registering the death.
​In a Nursing or Residential Home
If the death occurs in a nursing or residential home, the manager and staff will make arrangements for the doctor to certify the death and contact your chosen funeral director.
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Please be advised that it is sensible to have made your wishes known to the care home regarding your choice of funeral director, as some have arrangements with funeral directors which may not be what you had anticipated.
In Hospital
If the death occurs in hospital, the nursing staff will notify you and the hospital doctor caring for your loved one will issue the medical certificate. They will share the details with the Medical Examiner for review.
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The hospital will contact the next of kin unless already present. If this is you, the circumstances of your loved one’s death should be explained to you. If there are any questions relating to the cause of death, such as if it is sudden or unexpected, the death will be referred to the Coroner.
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Your normal point of contact will be the hospital bereavement office for any questions you may have.
Sudden Deaths & The Role of the Coroner
If the death was sudden or unexpected, or if the doctor is unable to issue the medical certificate for any reason, the matter will need to be referred to the Coroner.
In this case, either yourselves or the doctor should contact the police, who will attend the place of death. The police attend all such cases and their attendance is simply routine and should not cause concern. They will make arrangements for the deceased to be conveyed to a hospital mortuary for further investigation by the Coroner.
The role of the Coroner is to investigate all sudden, unexpected, unexplained, and accidental deaths. When the Coroner is involved, the next of kin will usually have most contact with a Coroner’s Officer, who will guide you through the investigation and answer any questions you may have.
In most cases, the involvement of the Coroner will not unduly delay the funeral.
Registering the Death
Once the medical certificate has been issued and the Medical Examiner has corroborated the details, the death must be registered at a registry office in the county where the death occurred within five working days.
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Registration must be made by a person deemed to be a qualified informant, usually the next of kin or executor. The Registrar or ourselves will advise you about this and answer any questions you may have.
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Local Registry Offices:
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Stevenage Office
Danesgate, Stevenage, SG1 1WW
📞 0300 1234 045
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Cambridge Office
Ascham Road, Cambridge, CB4 2BD
📞 0345 0451363
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Please note: deaths can no longer be registered in Royston.
Documents You’ll Receive After Registration
After registering the death, the Registrar will issue the following documents:
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Certificate for Burial or Cremation (Green Form):
This should be brought to us as soon as possible. It will be lodged with the crematorium or burial authority. In some cases, the Registrar may email this directly to your chosen funeral director. -
BD8 Form:
This must be completed and sent to the Department for Work & Pensions to stop any pension or national insurance payments. -
Certified Copies of the Entry (Death Certificates):
These may be required for banks, pensions, insurance policies, and legal matters. There is a small charge for each copy, payable to the Registrar.
The Registrar will also explain the Tell Us Once service, which allows you to notify most government organisations of the death in one go.
If the Coroner is Involved
If the death has been referred to the Coroner, registration cannot take place until their enquiries are complete. The Coroner’s Officer will keep you informed, and the Coroner will issue the necessary certificates to proceed with registration once the investigation is concluded.
Financial Help
If you think you may be eligible for financial assistance towards the cost of the funeral, information and application forms for help from the Department of Work & Pensions (Social Fund) are available from the Registrar’s office.
