How long after death do you have to register it?

Within 5 days (or 8 days in Scotland) a death must be registered. It is a criminal offense not to do so. 

By law a death must be registered before a funeral can take place. It is not necessary to register before starting to make provisional arrangements, however funeral arrangements should not be treated as confirmed until the death has been registered.

Can you register a death at the registry office?

The Medical Certificate of Cause of Death will be emailed directly to the registrar’s office from the surgery, hospital or coroner. This email will also include your contact details for the registrar to make arrangements to register the death. The registrar will telephone you to make appointment to register your loved one’s death in the district offices where they passed away.

What do you need to register a death?

Registering a death will take under half an hour and will consist of an interview where you will be asked for the following information:

• The full name of the person who has died
• The date and place of death
• Their name before they were married (if applicable)
• Their date and place of birth
• Their current job (if applicable)
• If they were receiving any benefits or pension
• Their usual address 
• The full name, job and date of birth of their spouse (if applicable)
• Their NHS card or number (if you have this)

Who is responsible for registering a death?

• A relative, usually the closest one.
• Someone who was present at the death.
• Someone who is instructing the funeral director.
• In certain circumstances another person may qualify as an informant but this is a very rare occurrence. If you think that this may be the case then you should contact the Register Office for further advice.

After the death has been registered

The Registrar will also issue copies of the entry in the register. These may be required for bank accounts, insurance policies, certificates of investments, and will be £11 each.

After the registration, you will handed copies of the Death Certificate (£11 each) and the Registrars Certificate (the green form) for burial or cremation. This should then be given to the funeral director in order that they may proceed with preparation for the funeral.